Taiwan opposition lawmakers' group visit Japan to boost ties

A group of Taiwan legislators from the main opposition Nationalist Party on Thursday held talks with a group of cross-party Japanese lawmakers dedicated to boosting Tokyo-Taipei relations in Tokyo to push for closer economic and trade ties, according to the visitors.

The 27-member delegation of the party, also known as the Kuomintang led by Fu Kun-chi is one of the largest groups of Taiwan lawmakers that have visited Japan, Fu’s office said. The KMT advocates a more conciliatory approach to mainland China than the ruling, independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party.

During the meeting, Keiji Furuya, a lawmaker from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party who heads the cross-party group, emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Fu, in turn, highlighted the need for closer cooperation in high-tech sectors, citing investment by the world’s biggest contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in southwestern Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture as an example, his office said.

The KMT delegation is on a five-day trip to Japan through Saturday. Taiwan and Japan maintain unofficial ties in the absence of official diplomatic relations.

Meanwhile, the KMT on Thursday hosted a reception in Taipei to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan’s formal surrender in World War II and the end of Japanese colonial rule over Taiwan.

==Kyodo