Two Japanese former defense ministers will visit Taiwan next week. That was the word from Taiwan’s foreign ministry on Thursday.
Former ministers Shigeru Ishiba and Yasukazu Hamada will be part of a delegation of Japanese lawmakers from both the opposition and ruling blocs in the Diet. They will visit Taiwan from June 27 to June 30.
The seven-member delegation also includes former deputy defense chiefs Akihisa Nakashima and Shu Watanabe and former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara. They will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President William Lai and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The group will also visit the legislature, the defense ministry and think tanks for exchanges on defense affairs.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry says ties with Japan have grown stronger ever since the visit from the youth division of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party in May. It says the upcoming visit will promote mutual understanding and dialogue on security affairs. The ministry also says it welcomes increased exchanges and visits from all sectors of Japanese society.