September 27, 2024
No. 319
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan elected Shigeru Ishiba, a member of the House of Representatives, as its new president after two rounds of voting on September 27. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) extends its sincere congratulations and has instructed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan to promptly send a message of felicitations on behalf of the government of Taiwan.
Taiwan and the LDP have enjoyed close interactions over the years, sharing a robust partnership and like-minded friendship. LDP parliamentary delegations have often visited Taiwan, proactively fostering Taiwan-Japan cooperation and exchanges across various domains and enhancing bilateral relations with concrete actions through values-based and alliance diplomacy.
Representative Ishiba recently led a delegation to Taiwan to exchange views on security issues with various sectors in Taiwan. During the visit, he announced his decision to run in the LDP election. In recent years, the Japanese government, led by the LDP, has reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at major international events and endorsed Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization and other international organizations. Taiwan expresses deep appreciation for this support.
MOFA sincerely hopes that the LDP, under the leadership of President Ishiba, will continue to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan, as well as promoting a comprehensive and substantive bilateral partnership to jointly uphold peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. (E)