Yoko Abe, the mother of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, passed away on Sunday in a hospital in Tokyo. She was 95 years old. Upon hearing the news, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) expressed their condolences on Monday in posts on “X”.
Tsai thanked Yoko Abe for the contributions she made to Taiwan and Japan. She said that Yoko Abe was friendly to Taiwan and even visited in 2016. The President recalled them watching a performance by the NHK Symphony Orchestra together and expressed her sincere condolences to the family.
Lai also expressed his sadness and shock upon learning of Yoko Abe’s passing. He also thanked Yoko Abe for her participation in strengthening Taiwan-Japan relations during her lifetime and expressed his sympathies to the family.