The Legislative Yuan

Press Release

May 3, 2023

President You meets and hosts a luncheon in honor of Japanese Liberal Democratic Party Kumamoto Prefectural Parliamentary delegation

You Si-kun: Countless examples of mutual support between Taiwan and Japan

Accompanied by Legislators Chen Ou-po, Kuo Kuo-wen, Chen I-hsin, Hung Mong-kai, Chiu Chen-yuam, Chen Jiau-hua, Secretary General Lin Jih-jia and Secretariat Director Kun Ping-chieh met and hosted a dinner banquet in honor of the LDP Kumamoto Prefectural Parliamentary delegation in the evening of May 12. 

President You first of all extended a sincere welcome to the delegation. He said that he was delighted to meet Representative Sakamoto for the second time in six months. As a matter of fact, Representative Sakamoto was the first member of National Diet of Japan that he met when he visited Japan after he took office as the President of the Legislative Yuan. He continued to state that his bond started very early. When he served as Yilan country magistrate, former President Lee Teng-hi suggested him to visit Kumamoto Prefecture that focuses on technological and cultural developments. In the capacity of Yilan country magistrate, he visited former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa’s residence to enjoy tea ceremony in 1994. In 2016, the people of Taiwan donated to help those who were affected in the Kumamoto earthquake. Recently, TSMC set up a plant in Kumamoto and will start to operate in 2024. There are still countless of examples of our cooperation. For example, Japan shared vaccine doses with Taiwan when the pandemic was tense in Taiwan. Japan extended a helping hand to Taiwan when Taiwan’s agricultural products were irrationally boycotted by China. This reminded us of former Prime Minister’s statement : “A Taiwan contingency is a contingency for Japan. In other words, it is also a contingency for the Japan-U.S. alliance.”

President You thanked Japan’s support to Taiwan. In the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on April 16 this year reiterated the importance of the peace and stability across Taiwan Strait to the international community and supported Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations as a full member, an observer or invited guest, the first time to be included in the statement. 

President You stated that his hometown Yilan realizes the significance of the close relations between Taiwan and Japan, because it and Japan’s westernmost point of Japan’s territory Yonaguni are only 111 kilometers apart. Over the past century, there were many stories recorded by Matsuda Yoshitaka in his works, including Yaeyama no Taiwanjin (Yaeyama’s Taiwanese People) and Yonaguni Taiwan oraiki (Records of Travels Between Yonaguni and Taiwan). These books further testify to the historical close interactions between Suao of Yilan county and Yonaguni. He also mentioned about Emperor Akihito visited Yonaguni before he abdicated to have a distant look at Taiwan. It was a pity that it was too foggy to see Taiwan. Yonaguni is Japan’s westernmost part of Japan. Although it is not big but very important. He especially shared the photos with the delegation.

President You continued to state that Yonagunai once had the largest number of population of more than 17,000 and even reached nearly 20,000 plus the US military force. But there are only 1,700 people on the island. He wanted to take this opportunity to encourage delegation members to realize the direct ferry services between Suao and Yonaguni to care for the people there to promote its economic development and to attract more tourists to Taiwan. It would be a win-win-win situation and hoped the vision could be realized. 

Representative Sakamoto thanked President You for finding time to meet the delegation. He stated that the delegation marked the first one comprised of national diet member, prefectural assembly members and government official. Their purpose was hoped that Kumamoto would play the role of locomotive to promote educational and medical development as TSMC set up a plant there. TSMC investment is a grand project for Japan’s semiconductor industry and would attract related industries and Taiwan’s industries to invest there. He would never forget the statement of a Taiwan contingency is a contingency for Japan and for Kumamoto. He stated that May 3 marked the 76th anniversary of the implementation for Japan’s Constitution. LDP is actively in promoting the amendment of the Constitution to ensure the security across the Taiwan Strait. As a national diet member focusing on agriculture, forestry and aquaculture, he will assist the future close cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, the direct ferry services between Suao and Yonaguni. He will also assist Taiwan to join CPTPP and hoped that both countries will work hand in hand to overcome difficulties to promote friendship and peace.

Dinner banquet started after both sides exchanged gifts. Before the banquet, President You once again welcomed the delegation on behalf of Taiwan’s congress. He pointed out that there are 16 indigenous tribes in Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan was ruled by Qing dynasty and Japan, therefore Taiwanese cuisines are very diversified. Since there are too many recommended dishes to serve in one banquet, a few of them were arranged that night. He proposed a toast to show his sincere welcome. Representative Sakamoto responded and wished further exchanges of parliamentary diplomacy. The banquet was conducted in an amiable atmosphere. (E)

Note: Delegation members
1 Representative Tetsushi Sakamoto

2. Representative Kaneko Yasushi

3. House of Councilors Member Youshifumi Matsumura

4. House of Councilors Member Seishi Baba

5. Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly Speaker Koji Mizoguchi,

6. Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly member Osamu Maekawa

7. Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly member Takao Fujikawa

8. Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly member Saburou Matsuda

9. Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly member Kazuyo Yoshinaga

10 Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly member Takayuki Sakata