Japanese Lawmakers To Visit Taiwan
A nonpartisan group of Japanese lawmakers will visit Taiwan for the first time in three years. The trip comes amid China's increasing military pressure on Taiwan.
About 20 members of the group working to promote exchanges with Taiwan are expected to take part in the three-day visit starting on Saturday.
Furuya Keiji, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and former chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission heads the group. Other members including lawmakers from the LDP, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Nippon Ishin Japan Innovation Party will also join.
The lawmakers are scheduled to meet President Tsai Ing-wen as they aim to strengthen collaboration with Taiwan.
They will travel to northeastern Taiwan, about 110 kilometers across the sea from Japan's Yonaguni Island. They plan to examine Japan's possible options in the event of a contingency involving Taiwan.
The group is also making arrangements to hold a strategic dialogue with Taiwanese and US lawmakers next month in an apparent effort to step up their diplomacy to keep China in check.