TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Japanese Liberty Democratic Party (LDP) delegation, led by lawmaker Seko Hiroshige, stopped by the Wu Chih-shan Military Cemetery in New Taipei City to pay their respects to the late former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) on Tuesday (Dec. 27).

Lee Teng-hui Foundation Director Cheng Mu-chun (鄭睦群) greeted the group on behalf of the foundation’s chairman, Lee An-ni (李安妮). Cheng thanked the delegation for honoring the memory of Lee, according to a press release.

Seko said that Lee devoted himself to Taiwan-Japan relations during his lifetime and laid the foundation for the Taiwan-Japan friendship that exists today. Although Lee is now in heaven, everyone should work harder to protect the hard-won Taiwan-Japan friendship, the Japanese lawmaker said.

Cheng said society usually focuses on Lee’s contribution to Taiwan's democratization, thus explaining his nickname, “Mr. Democracy.” However, the late president’s role in fostering relations between Taiwan and Japan is also unique, and its historical significance deserves more exploration, he said.

Seko’s delegation consists of 11 parliamentarians from former Japanese President Abe Shinzo’s LDP faction. The group is scheduled to depart Taiwan on Dec. 29.

A previous Japanese Diet delegation led by Furuya Keiji, chair of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, also visited Lee’s grave in October.