Japan and Taiwan yesterday marked the 11th anniversary of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake with messages of appreciation for mutual assistance during challenging times.
“Every year on March 11, I think of Taiwan,” Japanese Representative to Taiwan Hiroyasu Izumi wrote on Facebook, lauding Taiwan for giving “so much assistance and love for Japan” after the March 11, 2011, earthquake.
Taiwan led the world in donating about US$260 million in relief and reconstruction aid to Japan in the wake of the magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami.
Photo courtesy of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association
Over the past 11 years, many Japanese have found ways to repay Taiwan and believe it is rare to find such a good neighbor, who is sincere, selfless, loving and dedicated to helping each other, Izumi said.
“We must cherish this genuine friendship between Japan and Taiwan,” he wrote, adding that there are innocent people in other parts of the world, such as Ukraine, whose lives have been trampled on by their neighbors.
Thanking Taiwan for always being there for Japan, Izumi invited Taiwanese to visit Japan and embark on a “spiritual journey with Japanese friends,” to see how people living in the earthquake-
affected areas have recovered and rebuilt their lives over the past 11 years.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday said that in cases like the 2011 earthquake in Japan or the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan and Japan have helped each other through numerous challenges, making them true friends.
“Taiwan and Japan had rallied to support each other and deal with many difficulties. It is true that a friend in need is a friend indeed,” she said in a video post on Facebook.
During a vaccine shortage as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, Japan donated vaccines to Taiwan six times, totaling 4.2 million doses, she said.
“Taiwanese were really touched,” Tsai said, adding that “true friendship must be cherished.”
Taiwan and Japan will continue to defend regional peace and stability in the face of changes in the global situation and the expansion of authoritarianism, she added.
Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said he believed bilateral relations between Taiwan and Japan would grow even closer.
On the basis of solid friendship, the two countries will deepen exchanges in economics, trade, agriculture, culture and disaster prevention to become important partners helping each other whenever needed, he said on Facebook.
Additional reporting by Jason Pan and CNA
Alain Robert, known as the "French Spider-Man," praised Alex Honnold as exceptionally well-prepared after the US climber completed a free solo ascent of Taipei 101 yesterday. Robert said Honnold's ascent of the 508m-tall skyscraper in just more than one-and-a-half hours without using safety ropes or equipment was a remarkable achievement. "This is my life," he said in an interview conducted in French, adding that he liked the feeling of being "on the edge of danger." The 63-year-old Frenchman climbed Taipei 101 using ropes in December 2004, taking about four hours to reach the top. On a one-to-10 scale of difficulty, Robert said Taipei 101
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
US climber Alex Honnold left Taiwan this morning a day after completing a free-solo ascent of Taipei 101, a feat that drew cheers from onlookers and gained widespread international attention. Honnold yesterday scaled the 101-story skyscraper without a rope or safety harness. The climb — the highest urban free-solo ascent ever attempted — took just more than 90 minutes and was streamed live on Netflix. It was covered by major international news outlets including CNN, the New York Times, the Guardian and the Wall Street Journal. As Honnold prepared to leave Taiwan today, he attracted a crowd when he and his wife, Sanni,
Taiwanese and US defense groups are collaborating to introduce deployable, semi-autonomous manufacturing systems for drones and components in a boost to the nation’s supply chain resilience. Taiwan’s G-Tech Optroelectronics Corp subsidiary GTOC and the US’ Aerkomm Inc on Friday announced an agreement with fellow US-based Firestorm Lab to adopt the latter’s xCell, a technology featuring 3D printers fitted in 6.1m container units. The systems enable aerial platforms and parts to be produced in high volumes from dispersed nodes capable of rapid redeployment, to minimize the risk of enemy strikes and to meet field requirements, they said. Firestorm chief technology officer Ian Muceus said
RSS