President Lai meets delegation from Japan Innovation Party association for public-private cooperation  

On the afternoon of September 22, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from a Japan Innovation Party (JIP) association for public-private cooperation. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwan and Japan share the values of freedom and democracy, and jointly face challenges such as natural disasters and authoritarian expansion. The president noted that in the face of China’s attempts to unilaterally change the status quo and undermine regional peace and stability, democratic countries including Taiwan and Japan should unite and cooperate to enhance their self-defense capabilities and strengthen societal defense resilience. He expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will continue to deepen cooperation in areas such as strategic industries, strengthen supply chain resilience, and work together to realize the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:

To begin, I warmly welcome Taiwan’s good friend, House of Representatives Member Maehara Seiji, as he leads this delegation of old and new friends from the JIP visiting Taiwan. This visit is particularly significant, as it marks the first time the JIP has organized a delegation to visit Taiwan since Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae completed her second cabinet reshuffle. I am confident that through this visit, Taiwan-Japan relations will reach even greater heights.

Taiwan and Japan are both located in the first island chain. In addition to sharing the universal values of freedom and democracy, we also jointly face challenges from natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons, as well as threats posed by authoritarian expansion. Our peoples have formed a deep bond, standing together through thick and thin with a shared sense of destiny.

In recent years, China has continuously conducted military activities and used gray-zone aggression, long-arm jurisdiction, and transnational repression against neighboring countries in the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the South China Sea in an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo and undermine regional peace and stability. Democratic nations, including Taiwan and Japan, must unite and cooperate, jointly enhance our self-defense capabilities, and strengthen societal defense resilience in order to safeguard the democracy, peace, and prosperity upon which our survival depends.

Taiwan is deeply grateful to the Japanese government for consistently speaking up for Taiwan at various international venues on issues concerning the Taiwan Strait and our international participation. I would also like to thank the JIP for listing Taiwan as a partner sharing common values in its Eight-point Innovation Plan. We deeply appreciate the JIP’s advocacy for practical Taiwan-Japan security cooperation, emphasis on the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and strong opposition to any attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.

Currently, beyond the traditional security domain, Taiwan and Japan are also facing the same tasks and challenges in economic security, such as supply chain resilience in our technological industries. I hope that, with the support of visionary friends in the JIP, Taiwan and Japan will continue to expand exchanges and cooperation across all fields and at all levels. Together, we can deepen our collaboration in strategic industries, including semiconductors and drones, ensure sustainable regional prosperity and development, and help realize the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. In closing, I would like to once again thank the JIP for its longstanding efforts in promoting the development of Taiwan-Japan relations. I wish you all a smooth and fruitful visit.

Representative Maehara then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with them, as well as Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) for his assistance in making the visit possible. Touching on security matters, he stated that last week, he and members of the Japan-United States Parliamentary Friendship League traveled to Washington, D.C. to exchange views with several members of the US Congress. Together, he noted, they expressed concern that President Donald Trump might compromise with China on the issue of arms sales to Taiwan. Regarding the US-China summit scheduled for September 24, Representative Maehara expressed his belief that to maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific region, the US should continue to strengthen deterrence and provide weapons to Taiwan, adding that both the Japanese and US sides of the parliamentary league share a consensus on this matter.

Representative Maehara remarked that, as President Lai mentioned earlier, Taiwan and Japan share the values of the rule of law, democracy, and freedom, and both sides agree that the status quo should not be altered by force. Therefore, he emphasized, maintaining deterrence is extremely important, and this issue should continue to receive close attention moving forward.

Representative Maehara mentioned that AI has become an important factor in technology, security, and international competition, and that competition between the US and China is growing increasingly fierce. He stated that countries around the world, including the US and China, should take a unified approach, as independently slowing down AI research and development without a similar response from China could upset the balance and fairness of competition. Furthermore, he noted, given the massive global investment in AI, slowing down its development could also lead to a broader economic slowdown.

Representative Maehara pointed out that through the efforts of President Lai and all sectors of society, Taiwan has leveraged its world-leading semiconductor industry to also secure a leading position in the AI sector. He expressed hope that bilateral cooperation and exchanges will be further deepened in the future.

Representative Maehara stated that during this visit, the delegation also hopes to learn about Taiwan’s experiences and practices regarding public-private partnerships and private finance initiatives. He noted that Taiwan possesses advanced experience in leveraging private-sector resources. While Japan mainly applies these resources to facilities such as airports, stadiums, water supply, and sewage systems, he said, Taiwan has expanded their application to diverse fields including data centers and digital content. Representative Maehara expressed hope to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s experiences on this trip, further strengthening cooperation in related fields and deepening Taiwan-Japan relations.

The delegation also included Japanese House of Representatives Members Iwatani Ryohei, Uruma Joji, and Hagihara Kei. The group was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

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