The Foreign Ministry has denied that a recent visit by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike was downplayed because she is not a member of the ruling LDP party. The ministry released a statement Friday regarding media reports about the visit, citing an unnamed diplomat.
Koike visited Taiwan from Wednesday to Thursday, meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), current Vice President and President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德), and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安). The governor also made a trip to the grave of former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), with whom she had a close relationship.
The ministry says that the media reports citing the anonymous diplomat are erroneous and not credible. They say that all preparations for a visiting dignitary were made for Governor Koike’s visit.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry denounced Koike’s visit to Taiwan, saying that China has always opposed any official interactions between Japan and Taiwan. Upon returning to Japan, Governor Koike said that China’s comments were not appropriate and that cooperation between cities is critical for urban development.