Fri, Jan 29, 2016 page4

• Ko promotes ties with a Taipei twin, Yokohama

  HOME FROM HOME: It was a surprise to see temples dedicated to the Taoist goddess Matsu in Yokohama, Ko said, adding that he ‘felt at home,’ in parts of the city

  • By Sean Lin / Staff reporter
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  Promoting exchanges between Taiwan and Japan is necessary for upholding Taiwan’s national security, as well as for maintaining peace and security throughout East Asia, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday in Yokohama.

  Ko said that his visit to the city is likely to be followed by many more, and that exchanges between Taipei and Yokohama would become more frequent, in a speech made during his meeting with Yokohama City Council Chairperson Mituru Kajimura and Yokohama City councilors.

  Ko said he hopes to consolidate the relationship between Taiwan and Japan by boosting the level of exchanges.

  “I believe this is necessary for the security of the entire nation [Taiwan] and for the security and peace throughout East Asia,” he said.

  Ko said that Japanese of Taiwanese descent have set up organizations in Yokohama which have become vibrant there, citing as an example the Yokohama Overseas Chinese School, which he said is older than the Republic of China (ROC).

  The school was established in 1897 under an initiative drawn up by Sun Yat-sen (孫中山). It was rebuilt in 1947 under ROC education provisions after it burned down in World War II.

  Ko said he was surprised to see temples dedicated to the Taoist goddess of the sea Matsu (媽祖) in Yokohama, adding that he “felt at home,” in parts of the city.

  Ko also met with Yokohama Mayor Fukimo Hayashi and expressed his admiration for Yokohama’s ability to achieve balance between modern development and historic preservation.

  During his tour of Yokohama, he found the city had modernized some historic buildings in a way that had retained they original glory, Ko said.

  He praised what he called the city’s “fine blend” of the past and present, which he said is something Taipei should learn when conducting its urban planning.

  Underlining the close ties between Taipei and Yokohama, Ko said the two became partner cities in 2006 and have over the past decade engaged in exchanges in the arts and sports, and that the Taipei Fire Department signed a memorandum of understanding with its Yokohama counterpart yesterday.

  These exchanges have helped Taipei forge a stronger bond with Yokohama than it did with other Japanese cities, he told Hayashi.

  Prior to his departure, Ko invited Hayashi and Yokohama City officials to attend the Summer Universiade in Taipei next year, adding that he would treat all Japanese visitors with the utmost hospitality.

  Earlier in the day, Ko was asked by reporters whether he was upset about having been granted only 20 minutes to see the Tokyo Dome, during which time Taipei City Government officials reportedly asked Tokyo Dome administrators “simple” questions.

  Ko had said he hoped to learn about the Tokyo Dome’s safety mechanism to resolve issues surrounding the beleaguered Taipei Dome project.

  Ko said he did not have too much time to explore the Tokyo Dome because he was scheduled to meet with Japanese House of Councilors member Nobuo Kishi — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s younger brother — but that officials overseeing the Taipei Dome project inspected the Tokyo Dome for two more hours.

  He said he ordered these officials to obtain contact information from their Japanese counterparts.

  “Do not assume that all problems can be solved just by visiting [Japan] for a few days. Diplomacy is a cumulative process. The main purpose of this trip is for both sides to establish contact,” he said.
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