TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) praised Taiwan’s close ties with Japan during talks with acting Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Hagiuda Koichi on Monday.

Lai said that since Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae took office, she has repeatedly expressed support for friendship with Taiwan and underscored the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to the Presidential Office. He said that Taiwan and Japan must continue to support each other and strengthen bilateral cooperation and exchanges to face future challenges. 

Through unity and cooperation, democratic countries can safeguard freedom and democracy, the president said. He hoped that Taiwan and Japan would continue to deepen strategic and economic security cooperation to achieve a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Hagiuda called Taiwan an important partner and friend to Japan. The two countries share universal values as well as close economic ties and people-to-people exchanges. 

He pointed out that at the recent APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, Takaichi held bilateral talks with Taiwan Representative Lin Hsin-i (林信義) on bolstering cooperation, including economic and disaster prevention efforts. The secretary general was confident that the two countries could work together to achieve win-win outcomes in emerging fields such as AI and ICT.

Taiwan–Japan relations are the best they have ever been, he said.

Hagiuda is one of more than 30 Japanese legislators currently visiting Taiwan.