President Lai congratulates Ishiba on becoming Japan's new prime minister

Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) congratulated the newly elected chief of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba on assuming the role of the country's prime minister on Tuesday, according to Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧).

On behalf of Taiwan's government and people, Lai "extended sincere congratulations" to Ishiba and expressed hope that his new government would successfully advance various policies beneficial to Japan's development, Kuo said in a press release later that same day.

Kuo noted that Taiwan and Japan had "long been solid partners" and were expected to have more exchanges and collaborations in disaster prevention, trade and economics, and security, among other areas.

Ishiba, who won the ruling LDP's leadership election last week after four futile attempts over more than a decade, was confirmed as Japan's new prime minister by parliament earlier on Tuesday.

The 67-year-old served as Japan's defense minister from September 2007 to August 2008.

In August, Ishiba led a group of six cross-party Japanese lawmakers focused on security issues on a visit to Taiwan, during which he noted that only by the democratic community "standing shoulder to shoulder to demonstrate the strength of deterrence" can the region uphold peace and stability.

According to Kuo, Lai also thanked former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for the importance his government attached to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during his three-year tenure.

Kishida decided not to run for re-election as LDP president in August after the party became embroiled in several major political scandals.

In a separate press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had instructed Taiwan's representative office in Japan to express a congratulatory message to the new prime minister and his Cabinet on behalf of the country.