YOU Si-kun: Urging Representative Katayama to Further Advance Taiwan-Japan Relations

游院長本（30）日下午在林志嘉秘書長、周雅淑顧問、國際事務處林晨富處長陪同下，接晤兩週前甫抵台履新的「日本台灣交流協會台北事務所」片山和之代表，該所高比良飛鳥主任陪同。

On the afternoon of November 30, 2023, President YOU Si-kun received Representative Kazuyuki Katayama of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office, who arrived in Taiwan to assume his post two weeks ago. The President was accompanied by Secretary-General Lin Jih-jia, Consultant Chou Ya-shu, and Director of the International Affairs Department Kevin C.F. Lin and Director Asuka Takahira of the association during this meeting.

President YOU first extended sincere greetings to Representative Katayama, and expressed hope that his tenure in Taiwan would further enhance the already close and friendly Taiwan-Japan relations. He noted that Representative Katayama, who is proficient in Chinese, has deep connections with Taiwan, getting acquainted with Taiwan democracy pioneer Mr. Lin Yi-hsiung decades ago.

院長首先就片山代表蒞院拜會表達誠摯的歡迎之意，盼片山代表來台後能持續推動本就密切友好的台日關係。院長並提及片山代表與台灣淵源深厚，除熟諳中文外，也與民主先驅林義雄先生為舊識。

片山代表分享道，他於1986年時曾在美國哈佛大學與林義雄先生會晤，1986年至1987年他在哈佛大學研究所學習時，適逢民進黨創黨，因此激發他對台灣民主化過程的興趣，當時他即以《民進黨創黨和台灣民主化運動》(The Establishment of the Democratic Progressive Party and Taiwan’s Democratization)做為他的碩士論文題目。可惜在他隨後40多年的外交職涯中，一直未能來台，過去5次訪台均非以官方身分前來，並曾到訪宜蘭一次，此次有幸派駐台灣，他感到相當高興。

Representative Katayama recalled that he first met Lin Yi-hsiung in 1986 while studying at Harvard University in the United States. Coinciding with the founding of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Katayama's interest in Taiwan's democratization process was ignited. He chose "The Establishment of the Democratic Progressive Party and Taiwan’s Democratization" as the topic for his master's thesis. He regretted that he had never paid an official visit to Taiwan over his 40 some years of diplomatic service, although he had made five private trips, one of which was to Yilan. Katayama expressed his delight to have the honour of being posted to Taiwan this time.

院長續與片山代表分享過去台灣與日本在歷史上的淵源。院長追溯台灣過去受日本統治之時，日本明治時代「維新三傑」西鄉隆盛之子西鄉菊次郎曾來台任宜蘭廳長，整治宜蘭縣河道，並在其後任京都市長期間再度施展他治水之經驗。宜蘭紳民感念首任宜蘭廳長西鄉菊次郎之功績，特於西鄉堤防設立西鄉廳憲德政碑。院長並表示，西鄉菊次郎於1897年所建置之宜蘭縣政廳，在其任宜蘭縣長時特予以保留，改建為現在的「宜蘭設治紀念館」，作為地方歷史之見證。院長同時亦向片山代表詳盡描述台灣民主化歷程，包括民進黨創黨衝破當年組黨限制、政府宣布解嚴、萬年國會資深國代退職至國會全面改選等。院長並當場致贈甫於本年11月份出版的「衝破黨禁」英文版一書，表示隨著愈來愈多的相關史料揭露，對台灣史的研究極具助益。院長另提供1986年黨外雜誌「開拓時代」週刊對美麗島事件之報導內容，盼能讓片山代表對我國民主化歷程有更深入的瞭解。

President YOU continued to share with Representative Katayama the historical ties between Taiwan and Japan. He traced Taiwan’s history back to the period of Japanese rule, highlighting in particular Saigo Kikujiro, the son of Saigo Takamori, one of the Three Great Nobles of the Meiji Restoration. Saigo Kikujiro had once served as the governor of Yilan County. During his tenure, he undertook the task of improving the Yilan's waterways. His expertise in water management proved invaluable during his governance in Yilan, which was effectively extended to his tenure as the mayor of Kyoto City. In recognition of Saigo Kikujiro’s achievements as the first Governor of Yilan County, the local gentry and residents erected a monument along the embankment in honor of his good governance. As for the Yilan County Government Office, established by Governor Saigo himself in 1897, it had been well preserved and later transformed into the present-day "Memorial Hall of the Founding of Yilan Administration". This was accomplished when President YOU was Yilan County’s magistrate, serving as a testament to local history. President YOU elaborated the process of Taiwan's democratization, including the DPP's founding, the lifting of martial law, and the retirement and subsequent re-elections of National Assembly members and Legislators. He presented Representative Katayama with the English version of "Breaking the Ban on Political Parties in 1986", freshly released in November this year. President YOU stressed that with more and more relevant historical materials being unveiled, the research on Taiwan's history is gradually gaining ground. Additionally, he offered a copy of the 1986 issue of the weekly magazine "Kai-tuo Shi-dai" covering the Formosa Incident, in the hope to deepening Representative Katayama’s understanding of Taiwan's democratization.

片山代表完全認同院長的見解，提到他研究台灣民主發展多年，訝異於當年民進黨從成立到執政，僅經歷短短13年。片山代表續表示，台日間因無正式邦交關係，故國會間交流互動更顯重要，這方面他相當感謝院長長期以來的大力協助。他強調，台日共享民主、人權及法治等價值，日本支持台灣，而近期在東京舉辦的七國集團(G7)外長會議也再度肯定台海和平穩定之重要性。

Representative Katayama fully agreed with President YOU's insights. He had been studying Taiwan's democratic development for many years, and was quite impressed by the DPP’s current ruling's journey from its establishment to governance within just 13 years. He highlighted the significance of parliamentary exchanges between Taiwan and Japan, particularly due to the absence of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. He therefore highly appreciated President YOU's longstanding contributions in this regard. He emphasized that with the shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law between Taiwan and Japan. Japan's ongoing support for Taiwan remains unchanged. He also mentioned that the recent G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Tokyo reaffirmed the critical importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

院長表示推動國會交流是他的職責所在，他亦相當感謝日本長期支持台灣，尤其感念日本安倍前首相的高瞻遠矚，其「台灣有事就是日本有事，亦即美日同盟有事」的論述，以及致力促進印太區域和平穩定的努力，都引發各國後續正面呼應，像是韓國總統尹錫悅所說：「台灣為全球議題，韓國堅決反對武力改變現狀」，為台海穩定挹注力量。

President YOU acknowledged that promoting parliamentary exchanges is part of his duties and expressed gratitude for Japan's longstanding support for Taiwan. He particularly thanked former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his visionary stance, including the statement "A Taiwan contingency is a contingency for Japan as well as for the Japan-US alliance". President YOU noted that Prime Minister Abe’s efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region had achieved positive resonance from like-minded countries. He cited South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's statement that "Taiwan is a global issue, and South Korea is firmly opposed to any attempt to change the status quo by force," reinforcing strength into the stability in the Taiwan Strait.

雙方嗣就台日交流及推動與那國島觀光路線開發等議題交換意見，拜會歷約五十分鐘，氣氛融洽愉快，最後在雙方互贈紀念品及合影後，活動圓滿結束。

The following discussions also covered topics of mutual interest such as Taiwan-Japan exchanges and the development of tourism routes to the Yonaguni Island. The meeting lasted about fifty minutes, ending with gift exchanges and the taking of group photos in an amicable vibe.