YOU Si-kun: I hope this trip will further promote tourism industry between Taiwan and Japan and deepen bilateral relationship.
Accompanied by Legislators Yu Yu-lan, Chen Yu-jen, and Lin Shu-fen, Secretary General Lin Jih-jia, Yilan County Magistrate Lin Zi-miao, Suao Township Chief Lee Ming-che, President You completed customs clearance and boarded the boat at Suao Harbor to launch the ice-breaking direct ferry service at 8 a.m. on July 4 to Yonaguni Island in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture in the hope to boost tourism.
Before boarding, President You stated that he was grateful for the staunch support provided by Taiwan’s central government and local government agencies to make this trip possible. There is only 111 kilometers apart between Yonaguni Island and Suao Harbor. Due to sea ban during the Martial Law period, exchanges between the two places were interrupted. He believed that in view of such close distance, both sides should have more engagements. In addition, in the capacity of the Chair of Legislative Yuan Taiwan-Japan Exchange Association, he invited Keiji Furuya, Chairman, Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council to participate in this trip. Therefore, there are three meanings for today’s trip. First, exploratory trip to boost tourism industry. Second, ice-braking direct ferry service. Third, parliamentary diplomacy.
President You also mentioned about his footprints left in the Sandiao Cape Lighthouse as the easternmost, Eluanbi Cape Lighthouse as the southernmost, Fuguijiao Lighthouse in the northernmost and the highest Mountain Jade of Taiwan when he was young. As long as 1% of the 1200 million Japanese population shared his passion and interest to visit Yonaguni Island, the westernmost part of Japan followed by the trip to Suao and return to Japan from Taiwan. It will be a more convenient route. For the annual two million visits to Japan paid by Taiwanese tourists, as long as 1% of them are willing to spend one day and one git to visit Yonaguni from Suao and return to Yilan, it will also be conducive to boost Yilan’s tourism.
President You stated that as the press and the media continued to promote the trip, more than 20 local groups had showed their interest to join the trip. If tour agencies provide an affordable price with good programs after this trip, he believed that there would be the second or third trip in the future.
President You concluded his remarks by expressing his hope that the direct ferry service between Suao and Yonaguni will boost tourism of both sides to further strengthen friendship between Taiwan and Japan. President You hit the road at 9 a.m. and arrived at 12 p.m. Japan’s local time.
