On the afternoon of May 1, President of the Legislative Yuan Daniel K.Y. Han hosted a luncheon for an eleven-member delegation from Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Youth Division led by Director Nakasone Yasutaka. He was joined by cross-party legislators, including Taiwan-Japan Friendship Association Vice Chairpersons KMT Legislator Hung Mong-Kai and TPP Legislator Huang Shan-Shan, as well as DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-Ting. Also in attendance were Deputy Director General Yang Fang-Ling of the Department of International Affairs, Secretary-General Fan Chen-Kuo of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki and Director Muramoto Chiaki of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office.

President Han first extended a warm welcome to the delegation from Japan’s LDP Youth Division （hereinafter referred to as the “Youth Division”）and joined the attending legislators and Representative Katayama Kazuyuki for a group photo with the delegation members. In his remarks, President Han stated that seeing the Youth Division members filled with energy and vitality reminded him of the beauty of youth. President Han noted that the Youth Division of the LDP has long maintained close interactions with the Legislative Yuan and various sectors in Taiwan, fostering a deep friendship. He also took the opportunity to express his sincere appreciation for the Youth Division’s longstanding efforts and contributions in advancing Taiwan-Japan relations.

President Han went on to share with the guests that he first served as a member of the Legislative Yuan at the age of 35. Seeing the energy and dynamism of Japan’s new generation of Diet members, he expressed strong confidence in the boundless potential of Japan’s parliamentary future. Quoting U.S. President Donald Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” President Han encouraged the young Japanese legislators to carry forward their legacy and usher in a new era to “Make Japan Great Again,” a remark that resonated with the attendees.

Director Nakasone Yasutaka of the Youth Division began by expressing his gratitude to President Han and the attending legislators for their warm and generous reception. He recalled his first meeting with President Han in 2019, when President Han was serving as Mayor of Kaohsiung, and noted the positive interaction that left a deep impression on him. Now, six years later, seeing President Han serving as the head of Taiwan’s highest democratic body—the Legislative Yuan—while their friendship endures, moved him deeply. He expressed his hope that when President Han visits Japan in the future, they will have the opportunity to meet once again. Director Nakasone went on to highlight his close connections with the attending legislators, noting that he shares a longstanding friendship with KMT Legislator Hung Mong-Kai, that TPP Legislator Huang Shan-Shan visited the LDP caucus last year (2024), and that he was warmly hosted by DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-Ting during his Taiwan visit. These interactions, he said, exemplified the solid foundation of Taiwan-Japan exchanges. Director Nakasone concluded by expressing his hope that, building on the existing foundation, Taiwan and Japan will continue to deepen their exchanges and cooperation to further advance and enrich bilateral relations.

During the luncheon, President Han and the attending legislators engaged in wide-ranging discussions with the delegation members on topics including the functioning of the Taiwanese and Japanese parliaments and their composition, the development of democracy, freedom, and political and economic affairs, as well as ways to deepen inter-parliamentary exchanges between the two countries. As this month also marks the birthday of House of Representatives Member Fukuda Kaoru, President Han and the legislators present took the opportunity to extend their warmest birthday wishes to her. Finally, President Han presented the guests with a special edition of the “Legislative Yuan Commemorative Kaoliang Liquor,” personally signed as a token of appreciation for the Youth Division’s longstanding support for Taiwan. In return, the delegation gifted a traditional daruma doll, symbolizing good fortune and the fulfillment of wishes, as a gesture of enduring friendship between Taiwan and Japan. The luncheon lasted approximately one hour and thirty minutes, marked by a warm and lively atmosphere, with both hosts and guests enjoying the occasion to the fullest.