Beijing has criticised Japan for hosting former Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, who visited Japan in a personal capacity and is not known to have met any officials.
Tsai, the former Taiwanese leader from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), went on her first post-office visit to Japan from September 9 to 12. She had previously been invited to visit Japan several times but declined, according to the Sankei Shimbun, a daily newspaper.
Tsai’s office said she was visiting as a tourist and the trip did not include any official business. It was her first visit to Japan since leaving office in May last year. She served as Taiwan’s leader from 2016 to 2024, a period during which cross-strait relations became increasingly tense.
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According to the Sankei Shimbun, Tsai did not stay in Tokyo but spent several days at a summer resort in the Kanto region, and had no scheduled meetings with Japanese government officials or politicians. There has been no confirmation or information about any meetings between Tsai and Japanese politicians.
The Japan-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, a bipartisan group of Japanese parliamentarians that promotes ties with Taipei, urged Tsai to visit Japan after leaving office, but since this was a private trip, Tsai reportedly did not meet members of the group.
The Japanese government has a visa-free policy for Taiwanese citizens visiting Japan as tourists, meaning Tsai would not need a visa for her trip.
Tokyo’s relations with Beijing have been strained over a range of geopolitical issues, including China’s Victory Day parade in Beijing on September 3. Tokyo reportedly asked foreign leaders not to attend the parade, warning that the Victory Day events carried anti-Japanese overtones.
AloJapan.com