Shuzo Sumi, former chairman of Japan’s Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc, is the new chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association following the retirement of Mitsuo Ohashi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
In his inaugural address on Friday, Sumi praised his predecessor, Ohashi, for his significant contributions in strengthening Japan-Taiwan exchanges during his 14-year tenure, the association’s Web site said.
Sumi said that the Japan-Taiwan relationship is at it strongest, citing a survey conducted by the association in Taiwan last year, in which 76 percent of respondents selected Japan as their favorite country outside of Taiwan.
Photo: Reuters
Taiwanese travelers made more than 6.04 million visits to Japan last year, a new record, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co has made significant progress in its investment in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture, he said, adding that the two countries have made strides in addressing various shared issues.
Reflecting on his personal experiences, Sumi said that he and his family have enjoyed Taiwan’s rich nature and culture, and felt the warmth of Taiwanese toward Japan, which has strengthened his resolve to focus on enhancing Taiwan-Japan cooperation.
In related news, the ministry yesterday said that Member of the Japanese House of Representatives Takayuki Kobayashi, a former minister for economic security, is arriving in Taiwan today.
Kobayashi is to meet with President William Lai (賴清德), Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and other senior government officials, Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Secretary-General Chang Jen-joe (張仁久) said.
Kobayashi, who ran in the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election last year, is viewed by many as a rising star in Japanese politics, Chang said.
Separately, asked about Taiwan’s representation at Hiroshima’s Aug. 6 peace memorial ceremony this year, Chang said that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan has received an invitation and is to send a high-ranking official to attend the event.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
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