President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday met Japanese Representative to Taiwan Masaki Saito, who resigned recently following a controversy over his remarks that Taiwan's status was undetermined.
Saito, who resigned earlier this month, is scheduled to leave office on Sunday.
The Ma administration had shut Saito out of high-level political contact since he said Taiwan's status had remained undefined since Japan relinquished its control of the island following its defeat in World War II.
PHOTO: CNA
Saito made the comment while attending the annual meeting of the Republic of China International Relations Association just days after Ma had said the 1952 Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty (also known as the Treaty of Taipei) affirmed the transfer of Taiwan's sovereignty from Japan to the Republic of China, the official title of the country.
Saito apologized for his remark after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a protest. He said he had been expressing his personal view and his comment did not reflect the position of the Japanese government.
Yesterday marked the second official meeting between Ma and Saito since the controversial remark in May.
Ma yesterday said the past one-and-a-half years under Saito's tenure was a period when relations between Taipei and Tokyo enjoyed their fastest growth.
“Some might feel strange, but it is part of the 'flexible diplomatic policy' put forth before we took office,” he said.
Taiwan and Japan go back a long way and have maintained good relations since World War II, he said.
“Of course because of mainland China, there have been many twists and turns in our relationship,” he said.
Now that relations between Taipei and Beijing have improved, Ma said the “twists and turns” no longer serve as a “serious hindrance.”
Ma talked about the progress in relations with Tokyo since he took office, including the opening of a branch office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sapporo, the implementation of a “working holiday” program for young adults aged between 18 and 30 and the start of direct flights between Taipei International Airport and Tokyo's Haneda Airport next October.
Tokyo has also corrected the nation's description on its alien resident certificates and other related documents from “China” to “Taiwan,” Ma said, and fishing negotiations have been going smoothly.
Saito said the past one-and-a-half years were short, but he was “satisfied” with the results of his work. He said he hoped his successor would develop a new relationship in the new year.
Ma also met former Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada at the Presidential Office yesterday.
Ma described Nakada as “the best friend of Taiwan” and said Taipei and Tokyo had developed “closer and friendlier” relations.
Ma said he hoped to strengthen “contacts” with the new Japanese government, which he said has adopted a new diplomatic strategy.
He hoped the “reinforced contacts” would help advance bilateral ties.
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