Minister confirms his visit to Japan following ‘backlash’

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday confirmed that he visited Japan last month, adding that China’s “backlash” over the trip would not affect the cordial relations between Taipei and Tokyo.

It was the first time Lin had publicly acknowledged the trip. While it was not the first visit to Japan by a top Taiwanese diplomat, such trips are rarely disclosed due to the absence of official diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Japan.

Asked by reporters in Taipei yesterday about the visit, Lin said Taiwan is “making friends with countries around the world.”

Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

“Given Taiwan and Japan’s cordial relations, it is only natural that while in Japan I visited Expo 2025 Osaka and met with Japanese friends,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a legislative session.

China’s response is not expected to affect Taiwan-Japan ties, Lin said.

The visit was first revealed last month by veteran Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, a longtime supporter of Taiwan.

In a Facebook post on July 25, Furuya — a member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and chair of the Japan-ROC [Republic of China] Diet Members’ Consultative Council, which promotes bilateral ties in the Japanese Diet — said he had met with Lin and Sanae Takaichi, a former Japanese minister for economic security, among others.

Furuya also posted a group photograph taken with Lin and Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs later said that Lin’s visit was made in a private capacity.

China reacted strongly to the trip, postponing a Japan-China agricultural ministers’ meeting originally set to take place in Tokyo on Monday.

Beijing also lodged a protest with Tokyo, accusing Japan of “providing a stage for anti-China separatist activities” and “sending the wrong message.”

Local media reported that, in addition to visiting the Osaka Expo site, Lin also visited the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan in Tokyo, which serves as Taiwan’s de facto embassy in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.