A newly appointed Japanese official responsible for ties with Taiwan on Thursday met with Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and exchanged views on improving bilateral relations.
Yasuaki Tanizaki, who on Monday took the reins of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, met Hsieh at Taiwan’s representative office in Tokyo along with his predecessor, Tadashi Imai, and Michi Kakizawa, director of general affairs at the association.
At the beginning of the meeting, Hsieh extended a warm welcome to his visitors and congratulated Tanizaki on his appointment, while expressing gratitude to Imai for advancing relations between the two nations during his tenure.
Tanizaki said he was touched after hearing about the assistance offered by Taiwan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, when he was the Japanese ambassador to Vietnam.
Tanizaki said he was pleased to learn that 6 million Taiwanese and Japanese tourists traveled between the two nations last year, adding that this demonstrated the close ties between the two nations and promising to work to strengthen bilateral relations.
The two also exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, including fisheries cooperation, the cross-strait situation, Taiwan-Japan-US relations, Taiwan’s desire to participate in international organizations, such as the WHO, and the Taiwanese government’s “new southbound policy.”
The Interchange Association, Japan, responsible for maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan, changed its name to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association on Jan. 1 this year.
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