President Tsai meets Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji
On the afternoon of July 5, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation led by Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji. In remarks, President Tsai thanked the Japanese government for emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait at various international venues and opposing the use of force to unilaterally change the status quo. The president emphasized that Taiwan stands willing and able to join with Japan in contributing more to the prosperity and development of the region. She expressed hope that the council will support Taiwan's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and generate even more fruitful cooperation between Taiwan and Japan.
A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:
I want to welcome another delegation from the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council to Taiwan. It is very notable that, unlike in the past, Chairman Furuya has entered Taiwan on this visit via Taiwan's northeastern port city of Suao after having first met with our Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun (游錫堃) on the Japanese island of Yonaguni. This reminds me of what Chairman Furuya said last year on his visit to Taiwan as he stood at Suao and looked out across the sea toward Yonaguni. Speaking in Taiwanese, he said, "If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem." And the last time Chairman Furuya came to the Presidential Office, he also expressed this very idea, which had first been voiced by former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
A few days from now will mark the first anniversary of former Prime Minister Abe's passing. Mr. Abe long served as an advisor to the Consultative Council and worked very hard to enhance friendly relations between Taiwan and Japan. So, I want to take this opportunity to again express how deeply we miss former Prime Minister Abe and appreciate all that he did.
Taiwan and Japan are important partners who share the values of freedom and democracy. We supported each other during the COVID pandemic, and we faced its challenges together. At the onset of the pandemic, Taiwan donated masks to Japan. Later, thanks to Chairman Furuya's mediation, the Japanese government altogether donated 4.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan. And as the pandemic progressed, Taiwan continued to donate to Japan other medical equipment, such as oxygen concentrators and pulse oximeters. I would say this exemplifies the saying "a friend in need is a friend indeed."
Chairman Furuya also on multiple occasions facilitated the Consultative Council's adoption of basic policy positions in support of Taiwan's participation in international organizations. I want to express my gratitude once again to Chairman Furuya and the Japanese Diet for their support of Taiwan. In addition, at various international venues, the Japanese government has emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, while also opposing the use of force to unilaterally change the status quo. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I wish to express our gratitude.
Taiwan stands willing and able to join with Japan in contributing more to the prosperity and development of the region. I would like to ask Chairman Furuya and our other distinguished guests to support Taiwan's accession to the CPTPP and generate even more fruitful cooperation between Taiwan and Japan. We also hope that a more diverse range of tourism activities can bring about even closer exchanges between Taiwan and Japan, so that we can have a deeper understanding of each other's culture.
I welcome you all once again to Taiwan. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council. I thank each of you for supporting Taiwan, and I hope that the Consultative Council will continue to develop and grow stronger, just like the friendship between Taiwan and Japan.
Chairman Furuya then delivered remarks, stating that this visit to Taiwan marks his third time meeting President Tsai, whom he thanked for taking time out of her busy schedule to see him. He also thanked President Tsai for her kind words in memory of the late Japanese Prime Minister Abe, who unfortunately passed away on July 9 last year, and mentioned that Japan will hold a ceremony on the day to honor the first anniversary of his passing. The former prime minister had once said, "If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem," and Chairman Furuya expressed his firm belief that those words have struck a chord with the Japanese people.
Chairman Furuya mentioned that the day before Taiwan's National Day Celebration last year, members of the council traveled to Yilan County, the home county of Legislative Yuan President You, and he looked out across the sea from Yilan's port city of Suao toward the Japanese island of Yonaguni. Legislative Yuan President You had said that they would someday have to make a point of looking across the same stretch of sea but in the opposite direction, from Yonaguni toward Taiwan. And eight months later, the day before the chairman's visit to the Presidential Office, they had the opportunity to do exactly that. Chairman Furuya said that it was an important day for both Taiwan and Japan, one very much worth remembering.
Chairman Furuya said that Yonaguni has considerable tourism potential. Not long ago, he said, the council met in discussion with Taiwan's Tourism Bureau, adding that he hoped for promotion of more tourism between Taiwan and the Japanese islands of Yonaguni and Ishigaki. The chairman expressed hope that, once the COVID-19 pandemic has abated, tourism between Taiwan and Japan can return to its former heights, with more people from each country visiting the other.
On the topic of the Russia-Ukraine war, Chairman Furuya stated that the world is in a major transitional period, and that he believes China is carefully analyzing the situation. Whether or not the situation in the Taiwan Strait will be affected by this is something that deserves close attention, he added.
Chairman Furuya emphasized that Taiwan and Japan share the same universal values and that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is one way of contributing to peace and stability in the East Asian region. The Consultative Council, he said, is willing to cooperate in every way possible to advance this goal.
Chairman Furuya noted that the council each year sets an agenda, which it discloses publicly, and cooperates closely with the Japanese government to take specific measures to implement the various agenda items. These, he noted, have included expressing support for Taiwan's accession to the CPTPP and supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly as an observer. These policies will not change, he said, and the council will coordinate with the Japanese government to implement them.
Chairman Furuya mentioned that Japan's Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School Band performed in Taiwan last year during the National Day Celebrations and took a tour of the Presidential Office Building. President Tsai greeted and chatted with the students and posed for photos with them, he said, and everyone laughed and had a great time. Without a doubt, said the chairman, those students will be enthusiastic, lifelong supporters of Taiwan. He also expressed hope that in Taiwan and Japan the generations to come can build an even deeper and stronger friendship.
The delegation also included Japanese House of Representatives Members Kihara Minoru, who serves as secretary general of the Consultative Council, and Sasaki Hajime, who serves as its deputy secretary general. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Izumi Hiroyasu.