Vice President of the Legislative Yuan Johnny C. Chiang hosts a luncheon for President Seishirō Etō of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association and his delegation; Vice President Chiang: We are grateful to President Etō for his unwavering efforts in strengthening Taiwan-Japan friendship
At noon on February 20, Vice President of the Legislative Yuan Johnny C. Chiang hosted a luncheon for Seishirō Etō, President of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association, and his 12-member delegation. He was accompanied by legislators from different parties, including Lo Chih-Chiang, Huang Chien-Pin, Chuang Jui-Hsiung, and Chang Chi-Kai, who had joined him in Japan last year for the Taiwan-Japan Parliamentary Members Friendly Soccer Match. Also present were Director Kevin C.F. Lin of the Department of International Affairs and Deputy Secretary-General Lin Yu-Hui of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Vice President Chiang sincerely welcomed President Seishirō Etō and the visiting members of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association to Taiwan on behalf of President Daniel K.Y. Han. He further expressed his great pleasure in meeting with President Etō once again, noting that hosting the delegation immediately upon their arrival in Taiwan demonstrated the deep friendship between both sides. To warmly welcome the visitors from Japan, this luncheon was specially arranged at a renowned Taiwanese restaurant with a 48-year history, which has been listed in the "Taipei Michelin Guide" for seven consecutive years. Vice President Chiang recalled that he frequently visited this establishment during his time at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research. He hoped that through this dining experience, the delegation would be able to savor authentic Taiwanese cuisine and gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s local culture.
Vice President Chiang further stated that President Etō’s longstanding firm support toward and contributions to Taiwan are widely recognized, and he has played a key role in fostering and deepening Taiwan-Japan friendship. Looking back on the past year, President Etō has maintained close exchanges with the Legislative Yuan. In March 2024, Vice President Chiang, along with a cross-party delegation of 14 legislators, traveled to Tokyo to attend the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union (APPU), where he engaged in in-depth discussions with President Etō. In May 2024, President Etō visited Taiwan as an advisor to the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council. During his visit, he attended the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan’s 16th President and Vice President and engaged in cordial exchanges with President Han and legislators from different parties. In August 2024, Vice President Chiang, along with 11 cross-party legislators, was invited to visit President Etō’s hometown in Ōita Prefecture to participate in the Taiwan-Japan Parliamentary Members Friendly Soccer Match. This event marked a new chapter in strengthening Taiwan-Japan parliamentary exchanges through sport, fully demonstrating the close and friendly relations between the two nations.
Vice President Chiang concluded by expressing his gratitude to President Etō for his strong support, which enabled Taiwan to successfully secure the hosting rights for the 2025 APPU. He sincerely invited the delegation to return to Taiwan for the event and looked forward to continued deepening of cooperation between Taiwan and Japan across various fields, working together to further elevate bilateral relations.
President Seishirō Etō, in his remarks, expressed his sincere gratitude to Vice President Chiang and the legislators for their warm hospitality despite their busy schedules. He recalled that in 1996, while studying at Waseda University in Japan, he visited Taiwan for the first time for nearly three weeks as the leader of a student delegation. During that time, he engaged in exchanges with renowned Taiwanese institutions such as National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, Tunghai University, and National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (then Kaohsiung Institute of Technology). This visit marked the beginning of his enduring connection with Taiwan. He went on to serve in local government and as a member of parliament for nearly half a century, maintaining close ties with Taiwan throughout his career. He expressed his honor in assuming the role of President of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association and hoped to leverage his past political experience to further deepen exchanges and foster the development of Taiwan-Japan relations. President Etō emphasized Taiwan’s crucial role in the global system of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. He specifically mentioned the recent "Trump-Ishiba Meeting" in Washington (a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump), after which they issued a joint statement underlining the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reiterating support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, which was an encouragement statement.
President Etō further stated that as the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, he firmly believes that no country should unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion. He reiterated the principle that “a contingency in Taiwan is a contingency for Japan,” underscoring the strong partnership between Taiwan and Japan, built on shared values of freedom, the rule of law, and human rights. He also mentioned that starting in May 2025, Japan will allow its citizens to register "Taiwan" as their nation of birth in the household registration system, symbolizing a further step forward in the friendly relations between both sides. President Etō concluded by emphasizing that Japan will continue to support Taiwan’s efforts to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). He also pledged to leverage his influence to take concrete actions in support of Taiwan’s participation in the international community and looked forward to further deepening Taiwan-Japan cooperation in the future.
After President Etō’s remarks, Vice President Chiang invited the distinguished guests to enjoy the meal. During the luncheon, Vice President Chiang and the attending legislators engaged in lively discussions with the delegation members on topics such as the Taiwan-Japan Parliamentary Members Friendly Soccer Match, the APPU, and mutual tourism exchanges between the two countries. The meal was filled with laughter and warmth. The luncheon lasted approximately 1.5 hours in a warm and friendly atmosphere, with both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoying the gathering, marking a successful conclusion to this Taiwan-Japan friendship exchange.
Vice President Chiang sincerely welcomed President Seishirō Etō and the visiting members of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association to Taiwan on behalf of President Daniel K.Y. Han. He further expressed his great pleasure in meeting with President Etō once again, noting that hosting the delegation immediately upon their arrival in Taiwan demonstrated the deep friendship between both sides. To warmly welcome the visitors from Japan, this luncheon was specially arranged at a renowned Taiwanese restaurant with a 48-year history, which has been listed in the "Taipei Michelin Guide" for seven consecutive years. Vice President Chiang recalled that he frequently visited this establishment during his time at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research. He hoped that through this dining experience, the delegation would be able to savor authentic Taiwanese cuisine and gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s local culture.
Vice President Chiang further stated that President Etō’s longstanding firm support toward and contributions to Taiwan are widely recognized, and he has played a key role in fostering and deepening Taiwan-Japan friendship. Looking back on the past year, President Etō has maintained close exchanges with the Legislative Yuan. In March 2024, Vice President Chiang, along with a cross-party delegation of 14 legislators, traveled to Tokyo to attend the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union (APPU), where he engaged in in-depth discussions with President Etō. In May 2024, President Etō visited Taiwan as an advisor to the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council. During his visit, he attended the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan’s 16th President and Vice President and engaged in cordial exchanges with President Han and legislators from different parties. In August 2024, Vice President Chiang, along with 11 cross-party legislators, was invited to visit President Etō’s hometown in Ōita Prefecture to participate in the Taiwan-Japan Parliamentary Members Friendly Soccer Match. This event marked a new chapter in strengthening Taiwan-Japan parliamentary exchanges through sport, fully demonstrating the close and friendly relations between the two nations.
Vice President Chiang concluded by expressing his gratitude to President Etō for his strong support, which enabled Taiwan to successfully secure the hosting rights for the 2025 APPU. He sincerely invited the delegation to return to Taiwan for the event and looked forward to continued deepening of cooperation between Taiwan and Japan across various fields, working together to further elevate bilateral relations.
President Seishirō Etō, in his remarks, expressed his sincere gratitude to Vice President Chiang and the legislators for their warm hospitality despite their busy schedules. He recalled that in 1996, while studying at Waseda University in Japan, he visited Taiwan for the first time for nearly three weeks as the leader of a student delegation. During that time, he engaged in exchanges with renowned Taiwanese institutions such as National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, Tunghai University, and National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (then Kaohsiung Institute of Technology). This visit marked the beginning of his enduring connection with Taiwan. He went on to serve in local government and as a member of parliament for nearly half a century, maintaining close ties with Taiwan throughout his career. He expressed his honor in assuming the role of President of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association and hoped to leverage his past political experience to further deepen exchanges and foster the development of Taiwan-Japan relations. President Etō emphasized Taiwan’s crucial role in the global system of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. He specifically mentioned the recent "Trump-Ishiba Meeting" in Washington (a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump), after which they issued a joint statement underlining the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reiterating support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, which was an encouragement statement.
President Etō further stated that as the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, he firmly believes that no country should unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion. He reiterated the principle that “a contingency in Taiwan is a contingency for Japan,” underscoring the strong partnership between Taiwan and Japan, built on shared values of freedom, the rule of law, and human rights. He also mentioned that starting in May 2025, Japan will allow its citizens to register "Taiwan" as their nation of birth in the household registration system, symbolizing a further step forward in the friendly relations between both sides. President Etō concluded by emphasizing that Japan will continue to support Taiwan’s efforts to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). He also pledged to leverage his influence to take concrete actions in support of Taiwan’s participation in the international community and looked forward to further deepening Taiwan-Japan cooperation in the future.
After President Etō’s remarks, Vice President Chiang invited the distinguished guests to enjoy the meal. During the luncheon, Vice President Chiang and the attending legislators engaged in lively discussions with the delegation members on topics such as the Taiwan-Japan Parliamentary Members Friendly Soccer Match, the APPU, and mutual tourism exchanges between the two countries. The meal was filled with laughter and warmth. The luncheon lasted approximately 1.5 hours in a warm and friendly atmosphere, with both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoying the gathering, marking a successful conclusion to this Taiwan-Japan friendship exchange.