Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Japanese political circles were pleased to see the party back on its feet, at the conclusion of her four-day visit to Japan.
Speaking with reporters at Taoyuan Airport, Tsai said Japanese politicians were paying great attention to Taiwanese politics and were happy to see the DPP bounce back.
The revival of the DPP is viewed by Japanese as an indication of Taiwan’s democracy, she said.
Tsai said Japan was very concerned about security in the Taiwan Strait, adding that she was able to exchange views on the China issue with several prominent figures.
During the trip, Tsai met several former Japanese prime ministers and key players from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and the opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Tsai was quoted as saying that the selection of Japan as her first and only foreign destination after the Dec. 5 local elections highlighted the high respect the DPP has for Taiwans’ neighbor to the north.
Meanwhile, outgoing Japanese representative to Taiwan Masaki Saito last night hosted his last event before heading home following his resignation two weeks ago.
The seasoned diplomat was listed by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) as “persona non grata” after he said Taiwan’s status remained “undetermined” at an academic function in May.
The Japanese Interchange Association said Saito was quitting for “personal reasons,” but it has been widely rumored that the Taiwanese and Japanese governments were happy to see him go because he had become a defunct diplomat after his controversial remarks.
At the reception, Saito said in Mandarin that this past year marked many important milestones in Taiwan-Japan ties, such as the agreement on the youth working holiday program and the signing of air pact that will allow direct flights from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Taipei Songshan Airport starting in October.
Foreign Minister Timothy Yang (楊進添) touted the relationship and promised to strengthen ties for the mutual benefit of both people.
Saito will end his 17-month stint on Sunday.
He will be succeeded by Tadashi Imai, Japan’s former ambassador to Malaysia and Israel.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS