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Japan views Taiwan's existence as "very, very important," Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama stated in an interview with Liberty Times (Taipei Times).
Katayama highlighted the strategic and economic significance of the Taiwan-Japan relationship, underlining their shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. In his comments, Katayama, who has served in the position for a year, noted that the two nations enjoy strong economic ties, especially in agricultural and animal husbandry trade. Taiwan has relaxed restrictions on Japanese agricultural products, while Japan recently began importing Taiwan-raised brown-marbled grouper and pitaya. This bilateral trade is complemented by the growing number of Taiwanese tourists visiting Japan. With 4.2 million Taiwanese traveling to Japan last year, the figure is expected to exceed 5 million this year, setting a new record, Taipei Times reported. Katayama also stressed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential not only for Taiwan and Japan but also for other nations. He emphasised that any change to the cross-strait status quo should be resolved peacefully, a stance Japan firmly upholds. Reflecting on his year in Taiwan, Katayama expressed the importance of the two nations' relationship, citing the connection between young Japanese and Taiwanese as an example of the warm bilateral ties. He also encouraged more Taiwanese youth to study and work in Japan, as future generations will be key to sustaining these close relations. In related news, Taiwan's Tourism Administration reported a significant surge in Japanese visitors, with over 1 million Japanese traveling to Taiwan in the first 10 months of this year, reported Taipei Times. This marks a nearly 50 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, highlighting the strength of Taiwan-Japan tourism ties post-pandemic. To further attract Japanese tourists, Taiwan is hosting a baseball-themed exhibition at Taipei 101, featuring the ball hit by Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani for his 50th home run in the 2023 Major League Baseball season. (ANI)
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