President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday conferred a presidential award on Mitsuo Ohashi, former chair of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA), in recognition of his contributions to Taiwan-Japan relations.
During a ceremony in Taipei, Lai presented the Order of the Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon to Ohashi, who led the JTEA for 14 years, praising him as “a model of Taiwan- Japan friendship,” according to a Presidential Office news release.
The president thanked Ohashi for his unwavering dedication to promoting bilateral ties, noting that during his tenure, Taipei and Tokyo had signed over 50 agreements on trade and economics, fisheries and taxation.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office via CNA
He also credited Ohashi’s efforts with helping institutionalize Taiwan-Japan ties, notably through the 2017 renaming of the JTEA and its Taiwanese counterpart, the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association, to include the word “Taiwan.”
Looking ahead, Lai expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan would further strengthen their relations by accelerating talks on an economic partnership agreement and collaborating in key sectors such as semiconductors, energy and artificial intelligence.
In his remarks, Ohashi said he is proud of the close ties between Taiwan and Japan, particularly in the midst of growing international geopolitical tensions, according to the news release.
Ohashi, who was on a short visit to Taiwan on Thursday and Friday, said he would continue to promote peace in his role as head of the Japan branch of the World Federalist Movement, an organization dedicated to advancing global cooperation and democratic governance.
Ohashi was succeeded by Shuzo Sumi, the former head of Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc., as the JTEA chair -- a primarily ceremonial role -- on June 20.
The JTEA is headquartered in Tokyo and has offices in Taipei and Kaohsiung. Its Taipei office functions as the de facto Japanese embassy in Taiwan, and its current representative is Kazuyuki Katayama.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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