Premier Cho Jung-tai on Wednesday received a delegation led by Sumi Shuzo, chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. The premier said that Taiwan and Japan share universal values such as democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law, and that both sides enjoy long-standing historical ties, with their peoples holding positive impressions of each other. He voiced confidence that the association, under Chairman Sumi's leadership, will help lay a stronger foundation for Taiwan-Japan cooperation across various sectors and drive continued progress.
Premier Cho further noted that strengthening collaboration in disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as in high-tech industries, is a key focus of bilateral cooperation going forward, especially as both Taiwan and Japan are situated in disaster-prone regions and share a responsibility to ensure sustainable development for future generations. He also emphasized that Taiwan and Japan are aligned in their commitment to peace and stability. He expressed hope that Chairman Sumi's extensive experience and influence in Japan's financial and economic sectors will help accelerate exchanges and cooperation on the economy and trade, paving the way for the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), thus creating mutually beneficial opportunities and promoting regional peace and prosperity.
In his remarks, Chairman Sumi said that Taiwan and Japan currently face numerous intractable challenges, including the impact of natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes. He recalled how, during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, he witnessed Taiwan take the lead among the world's nations in offering generous aid to Japan in its hour of need. He took this opportunity to express his gratitude once again to the people of Taiwan. Chairman Sumi also highlighted that both Taiwan and Japan are grappling with common challenges such as population aging, global warming and maintaining energy stability. He said that the path toward effective solutions to these issues will require close cooperation, and expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan's collaborative relationship can continue to expand and strengthen in the future with the support of both peoples.