The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to name this year "Taiwan-Japan Cultural Exchange Year," sources in the ministry said.
The first quarter of the year will focus on the opening of the high-speed railway between Taipei and Kaohsiung, the sources said, adding that this would be followed by other exchanges showing off Japanese culture, drawing on the success of last year's sumo exhibition.
The reason the ministry chose to make Japan the focus of its efforts this year is that China will be marking the 35th anniversary of Japan's switch of diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China with a similar sports and cultural exchange.
China and Japan are planning a series of celebrations and exchange activities, a ministry source said.
The source added that ministry officials have complained that while China and Japan are spending a lot of money on the event, the ministry has not been given a special budget for its exchange year, since Tokyo and Taipei do not have diplomatic relations.
Instead, officials must use funds set aside for general exchange activities to compete with Japan's focus on China this year, a source added.
An official, who declined to be identified, made the comments after the "Japan-China Exchange Year of Culture and Sports 2007" committee was recently inaugurated, under the chairmanship of Canon Inc chief executive officer Fujio Mitarai.
Former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori was appointed the committee's top adviser, and Foreign Minister Taro Aso delivered an address.
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