Taiwan FM confirms Japan trip, says China's backlash won't hurt ties with Tokyo

Taipei, Aug. 14 (CNA) Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Thursday confirmed that he visited Japan last month, adding that China's "backlash" over the trip will not affect the cordial relations between Taipei and Tokyo.

It was the first time Lin had publicly acknowledged the reported trip. While this was not the first visit to Japan by a Taiwanese top diplomat, such trips are rarely disclosed due to the absence of official diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Japan.

Asked by reporters in Taipei on Thursday about the visit, Lin said Taiwan is "making friends with countries around the world."

"Given Taiwan and Japan's cordial relations, it is only natural that while in Japan, I visited Expo 2025 Osaka and met with Japanese friends," he told reporters on the sideline of a Legislative session.

Regarding China's response, Lin said it was not expected to impact Taiwan-Japan ties.

The visit was first revealed last month by veteran Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, a longtime supporter of Taiwan.

In a Facebook post on July 25, Furuya -- a member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and chair of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council, which promotes bilateral ties in Japan's Diet-- said he had met with Lin and Sanae Takaichi, a former minister for economic security, among others.

Furuya also posted a group photo taken with Lin and Taiwan's representative to Japan, Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋).

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) later said that Lin's visit was made in a private capacity.

China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory, reacted strongly to the trip, postponing a Japan-China agricultural ministers' meeting originally set to take place in Tokyo on Aug. 11.

Beijing also lodged a protest with Tokyo, accusing Japan of "providing a stage for anti-China separatist activities" and "sending the wrong message."

Local media reported that, in addition to visiting the Osaka Expo site, Lin also went to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan in Tokyo, which serves as Taiwan's de facto embassy in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.