President Tsai appreciates strong bonds between Taiwan and Japan

2023/07/21

President Tsai Ing-wen met with Akie Abe, widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and her delegation July 19 in Taipei City.
 
The president remarked on Prime Minister Abe’s genuine affection towards and support of Taiwan, citing the Japan government’s donation of 4.2 million doses of AZ vaccines to Taiwan.

 According to Tsai, interaction between Taiwan and Japan became closer during Abe’s period in office. Allies with shared values of freedom and democracy can create positive models of mutual assistance for other global democracies to emulate and contribute to global democracy and prosperity, the president added.
 
Tsai said that she envisioned the two countries will continue in their bilateral partnership, enhanced through relations between both governments and individuals such as Abe, as well as people-to-people exchanges.
 
In response, Abe expressed her sincere gratitude to Tsai, government officials and private individuals for their condolences to her late husband offered at the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. She also expressed thanks for provision of funds and other relief in the aftermath of the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami.
 
Recalling her late husband’s enthusiasm for Taiwan, Abe said he took active measures to assist in the export of pineapples when Taiwan encountered setbacks in the fruit’s trade.
 
During her four-day stay in Taiwan, Abe visited the tomb of former Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui and met with Japanese students awarded scholarships by the Friends of Abe Shinzo Association in Taiwan.


Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)