<span dir="ltr" lang="EN-US">President Lai meets delegation </span><span dir="ltr" lang="EN-US">from</span> <span dir="ltr" lang="EN-US">Kanagawa Prefecture Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association</span>

On the afternoon of September 7, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Kanagawa Prefecture Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association. In remarks, President Lai thanked the association for its long-term promotion of Taiwan-Japan exchanges and parliamentary diplomacy. The president pointed out that Taiwan and Kanagawa Prefecture each have their own advantages in fields such as semiconductors, AI, R&D, and precision manufacturing, and expressed hope that both sides will continue to expand industrial cooperation and build more secure and more resilient non-red supply chains.

A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:

First, I would like to welcome the delegation to Taiwan. In November this year, the Kanagawa Prefecture Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association will commemorate its 60th anniversary. On this especially meaningful occasion, I am delighted to meet and exchange ideas with the delegation led by Chairman Nakanishi Kenji, and to extend my sincere congratulations. For the past 60 years, the association has been a steadfast friend of Taiwan. Through commemorative events and sending visiting delegations to Taiwan, it has continuously deepened Taiwan-Japan relations and become an important partner in promoting Taiwan-Japan exchanges and parliamentary diplomacy. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to express our sincere gratitude.

Taiwan and Japan have a deep friendship epitomized by the saying “a friend in need is a friend indeed.” I want to give special thanks to the association for launching fund-raising campaigns on multiple occasions to help Taiwan in the wake of earthquakes. When the Kumamoto earthquake struck in July this year, Taiwan also rallied government and private-sector efforts. We hope that these relief activities can help our Japanese friends who were affected by the disaster return to normal life as soon as possible and allow reconstruction work to proceed smoothly. Through mutual assistance in times of disaster, Taiwan and Japan have built family-like bonds.

Taiwan and Japan are also important economic and trade partners. Last year, Taiwan’s total trade with Japan reached US$84.851 billion, an increase of 17.36 percent. Exchanges between the two sides in industries such as electronic information and communications technology and mechanical parts are also growing closer. Kanagawa Prefecture is a hub for Japan’s high-tech and advanced manufacturing industries. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has established a design center in Kanagawa Prefecture, and 13 Taiwanese companies, including Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), have also set up operations there. At the same time, 78 companies from Kanagawa Prefecture, including Nissan Motor, have invested in Taiwan.

TSMC and ASE are the world’s most important companies in advanced semiconductor processes and packaging and testing, respectively. Both of these companies have invested in Kanagawa Prefecture, indicating a very close relationship between Taiwan and Kanagawa. Taiwan has advantages in semiconductors and AI manufacturing, while Kanagawa has strengths in R&D and precision manufacturing. I am confident that by expanding our cooperation, we will surely be able to build more secure and more resilient non-red supply chains.

Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture is a popular travel destination for many Taiwanese, and Taiwanese visits to Japan now number some six million a year. I was pleased to learn that Yokohama will host the International Horticultural Expo next year. When I visited Yokohama some years ago, many people told me, “We really like Taiwan and have deep affection for Taiwan.” That left a very deep impression on me.

I sincerely hope that through this major event in Yokohama, Taiwan and Japan will have more exchanges in fields like green energy, sustainability, and urban tourism. I also hope that in the future, Taiwan and Kanagawa Prefecture will continue their deep friendship and that our joint efforts will take Taiwan-Japan relations to the next level. In closing, I would like to once again welcome our guests and thank them for supporting Taiwan. I wish you a smooth and successful 60th anniversary celebration. May the association continue to prosper with each passing day.

Association Chairman Nakanishi Kenji then delivered remarks, saying that the Kanagawa Prefecture Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association sends a delegation to visit Taiwan every year. As the current visit coincides with the association’s 60th anniversary, he said, a delegation of 60 people was especially formed to visit Taiwan. It includes six members of Japan’s House of Representatives and many private citizens who hope to deepen exchanges through culture and the economy. All of them, he said, are great friends of Taiwan. He mentioned that the association plans to hold its 60th anniversary celebration activities in Yokohama on November 27.

Chairman Nakanishi mentioned that Kanagawa Prefecture is home to the famous Hakone hot springs, and that on this trip, they proposed the idea of establishing a sister relationship between the hot springs of Japan’s Hakone and Taiwan’s Beitou. Recently, he said, they held a meeting with the Taipei Hot Spring Development Association and other organizations, where the participants engaged in lively discussion. He said it is hoped that a memorandum of understanding can be signed during the 60th anniversary celebration on November 27. He added that the International Horticultural Expo will be held in Yokohama next March, and they hope that friends from Taiwan will participate to further deepen Taiwan-Japan exchanges.

Chairman Nakanishi pointed out that Taiwan provided significant aid to Japan after the recent Kumamoto earthquake, and that Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae expressed deep gratitude to Taiwan. He added that after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024, Taiwan also provided significant assistance to Japan, for which the Japanese people expressed deep gratitude. Taiwan and Japan being in areas frequently affected by natural disasters, the chairman said he believes that we still have considerable room for cooperation in disaster prevention and should continue to strengthen collaboration in the future.

Turning to the economy, Chairman Nakanishi stated that Taiwan and Japan are closely connected. He noted that Taiwan is driving economic development through the AI and semiconductor industries, while in Japan, TSMC’s presence in Kumamoto is revitalizing Kyushu’s economy, and the overall economy is also showing an upward trend.

Chairman Nakanishi mentioned that when the delegation visited the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association this morning, Chairman Frank Hsieh described the relationship between Japan and Taiwan as a “community with a shared destiny.” Chairman Nakanishi said he believes that there is room for future cooperation not just in AI and semiconductors, but in such fields as the space industry and quantum technology as well, and he expressed hope to further deepen Taiwan-Japan relations on our already solid foundation. The chairman said that they will continue to work hand in hand with all sectors to deepen exchanges and friendship between Taiwan and Japan.

The delegation also included Japanese House of Representatives Members Nakada Hiroshi, Kusama Tsuyoshi, Nitta Shobun, Maruo Natsuko, and Kanazawa Yui.

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