Japan delegation highlights regional peace in talks with Taiwan’s Lai

TAIPEI - Japanese ruling party lawmakers on Dec 23 held talks with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and emphasised the importance of maintaining regional peace and stability.

A statement from the Presidential Office quoted Mr Keisuke Suzuki, a former justice minister from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, as saying Taiwan and Japan not only share universal values, but are also communities of shared destiny.

He added that amid a changing geopolitical landscape, both Taiwan and Japan face various forms of pressure from China.

Mr Suzuki said Taiwan must never be threatened, nor should there be any attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by force, adding that deterrence capabilities need to be strengthened to ensure their effectiveness.

With this belief, Japan will do its utmost to assist and guard against threats, he said, while wishing Taiwan prosperity under President Lai’s leadership and the continued deepening of bilateral relations.

Mr Lai thanked the lawmakers – including Mr Akihisa Nagashima, who was a special adviser to former prime minister Shigeru Ishiba – for their support for Taiwan, noting that the two sides have long assisted each other in responding to natural disasters, pandemics and other challenges, demonstrating the strength of their friendship.

Their visit comes at a time when China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has increased pressure on Japan,

infuriated by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Nov 7 parliamentary remarks

that suggested an attack on Taiwan could constitute an existential threat to her country and potentially trigger a response from its Self-Defense Forces.

Beijing aims to bring Taiwan into its fold by force if necessary. While Japan switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1972, the two sides maintain unofficial ties through representative offices and institutions. KYODO NEWS