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Taiwan News Quick Take

■ TRANSPORT

Alishan railway to reopen

The Alishan Forest Railway is expected to resume full operations on Friday, the Chiayi Forest District Office said yesterday. The railway has been closed since June, when a landslide destroyed one of the tunnels along the route. The maintenance crews repairing the tunnel have experienced problems because of two earthquakes in July and the heavy rains brought by typhoons Sepat and Krosa that caused more landslides in the surrounding areas, damaging both the railway tracks and roads. The office said the crews have completed the installation of protective layers both inside and outside the tunnel, so that falling rocks would not crush the tunnel structure. The office originally estimated that the construction would be completed next March.



■ CRIME

Taichung tops vote-buying

Prosecutorial authorities have handled 3,597 vote-buying cases involving a total of 5,948 defendants during the run-up to next month's legislative elections, Vice Justice Minister Chu Nan (朱楠) said yesterday. The figures, which cover data available as of Friday, show that the Taichung Prosecutors Office has handled the largest number of cases, at 779, while the Tainan Prosecutors Office and the Yunlin Prosecutors Office have handled the second and third-largest number of cases, at 351 and 314 respectively. On cases related to March's presidential election, prosecutorial authorities nationwide have handled 59 cases involving a total of 104 defendants, Chu said.



■ DIPLOMACY

Hau announces Tokyo visit

Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday that he would visit Tokyo in February to attend a marathon at the invitation of his Tokyo counterpart, Shintaro Ishihara. Hau made the announcement following a meeting at Taipei City Hall with Tokyo Metropolitan Councilor Takashi Kabayama, who has been in Taiwan since Saturday heading a delegation of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship and Culture Promotion Association. On Sunday the Japanese group took part in the Taipei International Marathon, which drew tens of thousands of local and foreign runners. At the meeting with Hau, Kabayama said their participation in the Taipei marathon was in preparation for the upcoming Tokyo International Marathon, which is scheduled for Feb. 14. He invited Hau to visit Tokyo and take part in the annual race. In response, Hau said he would make the trip but would not compete as he is not a runner.



■ TRANSPORT

MOTC to amend regulations

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said yesterday that it would amend its traffic regulations in order to be able to issue an operational license to a mobile cargo X-ray inspection system purchased by the Ministry of Finance (MOF). The system is installed in a large truck and is used to examine containers for illegal items. In 2005, the MOF bought two of the vehicles for NT$200 million (US$6 million) in order to inspect containers at Keelung Port. A report published in the United Daily News yesterday said that officials at Keelung Port have not been able to use the vehicles for the last two years because they have yet to secure licenses from the MOTC. The MOTC said the height and width of the vehicles exceeded specifications laid down in the road safety regulations. Because of this, the MOTC has been unable to issue a license, it said.
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