TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Businesses and individuals from Taiwan were among those who funded a full-page advertisement carried by the Sankei Shimbun on Friday (July 15) in memory of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

Featuring a monotone picture of a smiling Abe, the ad pays tribute to one of the most Taiwan-friendly politicians. “We will not forget Mr. Abe’s contributions to advancing freedom and democracy and that his legacy to promote Taiwan-Japan relations will live on,” it reads.

The advert was made possible by a fundraiser launched by the “Friends of Abe Shinzo Association” on Monday (July 11). Donations flooded in to pay for the $13.95 million yen (US$100,522) ad in one of the major Japanese daily newspapers, with signatures of 175 companies, organizations, and individuals from Taiwan.

Mark Chen (陳唐山), a Taiwanese politician who has deep ties with Japan and who founded the association last month, said the campaign expresses Taiwan’s gratitude to Abe and “lets the Japanese people know it was the right thing to aid the country,” per CNA. The association is devoted to bringing the two countries closer through exchanges and scholarship programs, he added.

(Facebook, Taiwan-Japan Friendship Association for Industrial Economics photo)