Japan's Premier Taiwan Friendship Group Renames, Vows Deeper Cooperation

Japan's largest bipartisan parliamentary group supporting Taiwan, formerly known as the "Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Meeting," officially rebranded itself as the "Japan-Taiwan Friendship Parliamentary Alliance" on June 11. The alliance, currently comprising 321 members, marks its largest membership since its inception and stands as one of the most significant cross-party parliamentary bodies within the Japanese Diet.

Keiji Furuya, the alliance's president, stated that the name change signifies a commitment to further deepen cooperation and strengthen the bonds between Japan and Taiwan. The alliance held its annual general meeting, attended by Taiwan's Representative to Japan, Izumi Sakai, and Presidential Office spokesperson, Kuo Ya-hui. President Lai Ching-te also sent a video message, thanking the alliance for its long-standing contributions to enhancing Japan-Taiwan exchanges.

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This is a historic step, symbolizing that Taiwan-Japan relations will further deepen and develop on the foundation of long-term friendship.

Furuya explained that the name change, considered for several years, aligns with recent shifts in the names of related organizations, such as the Japan Interchange Association becoming the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association and Taiwan's East Asian Relations Association becoming the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association. He emphasized that the rebranding is a natural progression and was carefully considered.

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The reporting content of that Japanese media is completely missing the point. If according to that logic, should China also criticize the Japanese government for changing the name of the Interchange Association to 'Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association'?

Addressing potential concerns about backlash from China, Furuya dismissed reports suggesting the name change would provoke a negative reaction. He asserted that the modification from "ROC" (Republic of China) to "Taiwan" is a logical development and was handled with due diligence. The alliance's agenda for the year includes continued support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations like the World Health Assembly (WHA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Furthermore, the alliance plans to establish nine project teams to deepen bilateral cooperation on specific issues. A new focus for this year is to review Japanese middle and high school textbooks to correct any statements that might misrepresent Taiwan as Chinese territory. The alliance will also urge Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to revise content that could cause misunderstanding. In response to the rise of generative AI, the alliance will promote cooperation between Japan and Taiwan in combating disinformation, particularly concerning deepfake technology.

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From 'Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Meeting' to 'Japan-Taiwan Friendship Parliamentary Alliance' is a completely natural development and the result of careful handling.