Ryuichi Kurosu Leads Hachioji Friendship Association Visit to Penghu

Ryuichi Kurosu had visited Taiwan about 90 times, but he had never reached Penghu. While eating seafood in Kaohsiung, he often heard that the high-quality produce came from the islands. He had long hoped to see the place for himself.

Winter weather repeatedly prevented the trip. This time, visiting during a more suitable season, Kurosu finally set foot in Penghu and said he felt happy and deeply moved.

Kurosu, chairman of the NPO Hachioji-Taiwan Friendship Association, led the group to the Penghu County Government, where Deputy County Magistrate Lin Chieh-hsing received the visitors. The two sides exchanged commemorative gifts.

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I had always hoped to visit Penghu in my lifetime.

Lin said Penghu and Japan had maintained friendly exchanges for many years. He expressed hope that the visit would strengthen grassroots interaction between Taiwan and Japan and broaden cooperation in tourism, culture, education and city-to-city exchanges.

The association was established in 2012 by Kurosu, a former mayor of Hachioji in Tokyo, after he left office. During the Sept. 4-6 visit, the delegation toured Tianhou Temple, Central Old Street, Qimei’s Little Taiwan, the Twin Hearts Stone Weir, the Wangan Huazhai settlement, Wang’an’s Net-Angkou Beach, Tongliang’s ancient banyan tree, the Penghu Great Bridge, Chixi Rock Waterfall and the Daguoye basalt formations.

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We hope this visit will further deepen people-to-people interaction between Taiwan and Japan and expand cooperation in tourism, culture, education and city exchanges.