Taiwan-Japan cooperation necessary amid global challenges: Nakasone

Taipei, May 2 (CNA) Collaboration between Taiwan and Japan on economic and maritime security is necessary, visiting Japanese House of Representatives member Yasutaka Nakasone said Friday.

Speaking with reporters in Taipei, Nakasone, who also heads the Youth Division of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), described the global circumstances as complex and challenging, saying that strengthened cooperation between Taiwan and Japan is therefore imperative.

Nakasone is leading a delegation from the LDP Youth Division to Taiwan on a five-day visit until Saturday, and the group has met with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), National Security Council chief Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) since its arrival on April 29.

During the delegation's meetings with Taiwanese officials, both sides have discussed how Taiwan and Japan can enhance their cooperation and include allies such as the United States and South Korea in that effort, Nakasone said.

However, he declined to provide specifics of the discussions, saying only that economic and maritime security remain crucial for both Taiwan and Japan as both are island nations.

The two sides also discussed broader security concerns, including information and cognitive warfare, as well as demographic challenges, notably declining birthrates and aging populations, the division director said.

According to Nakasone, the LDP Youth Division has maintained a good relationship with the Taiwanese government over the past few decades by regularly sending delegations to visit Taiwan.

Under his leadership, the division, which serves as a channel for dialogue, aims to pass on to the next generation a stronger political, economic and cultural bond between Taiwan and Japan, he added.

Nakasone's delegation also includes House of Representatives members Shojiro Hiranuma, Taku Nemoto and Kaoru Fukuda, and House of Councillors member Masayuki Kamiya.