This Tuesday marked the 14th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which struck the Tohoku region on March 11, 2011, and resulted in nearly 20,000 casualties. The quake caused widespread damage, including the initiation of a series of large tsunami waves that devastated many coastal areas of the country, and a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Stations. Accumulating more than JPY$20 billion (USD$252 million) in relief contributions, Taiwan is considered the second country in terms of donations, following the United States.
President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) took to social media, posting in both Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, to point out how both nations have supported one another as they’ve faced various challenges, including disaster relief and epidemic prevention efforts. Lai said he hopes Taiwan and Japan can continue to deepen their partnership, strengthening cooperation in regional security, trade, and social resilience to serve as a force for good in the international community.