Former Japanese Defense Minister Leads Delegation to Taiwan for Indo-Pacific Policy Simulation

A delegation led by former Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera visited Taiwan, engaging in Indo-Pacific policy simulations with experts from Taiwan, the United States, and Japan. The visit, hosted by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed to enhance cooperation and exchange on emergency response strategies.

During the visit, Onodera expressed gratitude for Taiwan's support following the Kumamoto earthquake. He highlighted the role of the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies (JFSS) and the Foundation for Global Peace and Prosperity (FGPP) in organizing policy simulations. This marks the first time such simulations have been conducted in Taiwan with relevant stakeholders.

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The principle at RSCM is that it is a national referral center, so the possibility of RSCM being full is very high. But whether it has to wait 8 hours depends on the situation; if it's empty, it will be faster than that.

Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lin Chia-lung, welcomed the delegation, noting Taiwan's significant contributions to the reconstruction efforts in Kumamoto. Over 15,000 donations, totaling more than NT$200 million, were collected through a special account set up by the ministry, excluding corporate contributions.

The participants included prominent figures such as Liberal Democratic Party General Council Chairperson Seiko Noda, former Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita, and several members of the Japanese Diet. The simulations focused on analyzing emergency response methods, underscoring the shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that these exchanges would bolster Taiwan-Japan-U.S. partnership and collaborative efforts for regional security.

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The Japan Forum for Strategic Studies has long conducted policy simulations. This time, in Taiwan, we have jointly invited relevant Taiwanese, Japanese, and American individuals to analyze emergency response methods, aiming to deepen mutual experience exchange.