TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A record number of 31 Japanese legislators arrived in Taiwan on Saturday (May 18) for the May 20 inauguration of President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴).

The lawmakers are members of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, a group of politicians from different parties interested in strengthening links with Taiwan. Their chair, Furuya Keiji (古屋圭司), told reporters that the large size of his delegation was meant to show support for Taiwan’s predicament, per CNA.

China’s current actions are no longer within acceptable norms, so they need to be stopped and counterbalanced, he said. The message of the Japanese delegation's visit for the inauguration was that the whole world needs to cooperate on this matter, according to Furuya.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said earlier that because of the high number of attendees from Japan, Taiwan was unable to invited 47 local Japanese government officeholders to Taipei. Instead, they were invited to a celebratory event in Japan hosted by Taiwan’s representative office in Tokyo on Monday.