Japanese opposition lawmakers visit Taiwan to strengthen ties

• A delegation of Japanese lawmakers from three opposition parties has arrived in Taiwan for a visit to build bilateral ties and offer support for Taiwan’s accession to a regional free trade agreement.
• Led by former Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, the 11-member group includes lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), and Democratic Party for the People, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) statement.
• The delegation held meetings Monday with President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President Lai Ching-te, who is also the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate in the 2024 presidential election, and other senior officials.
• During a meeting at the Presidential Office, Maehara told Tsai that opposition parties in Japan feel strongly about Japan’s relationship with Taiwan and look forward to strengthening it.
• Maehara said nations with shared values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, should work together to foster a free and open society, which is important for the stability of Northeast Asia.
• He also voiced support for Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), one of the largest free trade agreements in the Asia Pacific region, of which Japan is a member.
• Maehara pledged that members of the visiting delegation will try to facilitate Taiwan’s membership in the trade bloc, Seiji said.

External Link : https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202307030018