Taiwan confirms signing MOU with Japan on border information sharing

Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed Tuesday that Taiwan and Japan have previously signed an agreement to promote information exchange and cooperation on border management with Japan, though it did not disclose more details on the pact.

MOFA spokesperson Hsiao Kuangwei (蕭光偉) said the ministry is happy to see that the two countries continue to enhance cooperation on immigration control, in particular because Taiwan and Japan "share a deep friendship and frequent people-to-people exchanges."

"Last year, over 7.32 million visits were made between the two countries, making it even more crucial for both sides to work closer on immigration and border control," he said during a MOFA news briefing.

Hsiao did not provide any details about the agreement and instead referred reporters to the National Immigration Agency (NIA), Taiwan's authority responsible for immigration, border security, and entry/exit services.

According to a list on the NIA website, Taiwan has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on immigration and border control affairs with 23 countries. Japan appears at the bottom of the list, noting that an MOU on information exchange and cooperation in border security and management with Japan was signed on Dec. 18, 2024.

However, the NIA neither issued a press release on the MOU signed late last year nor disclosed any details of the agreement.

Hsiao's comments were made after the Japanese media Yomiuri Shinbun reported earlier Tuesday that such a pact was signed in December 2024.

The Japanese-language report quoted unnamed Japanese sources as revealing that Taiwan and Japan signed the MOU regarding the sharing of information on foreign nationals entering Japan from Taiwan in the event of an emergency in Taiwan.

By sharing information on foreign nationals evacuating in the event of an emergency, including a Chinese invasion, the aim is to prevent Chinese spies from taking advantage of such a chaotic situation to enter Japan.

According to sources, under the memorandum, Japan will receive information on foreign nationals wishing to enter the country from Taiwan. This will enable Tokyo to effectively screen those who may harm domestic security in the event of an emergency, the newspaper said.

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan has signed similar pacts with countries such as Australia and New Zealand, but it is unusual for Tokyo to have such a pact with a non-ally.

Due to the sensitivity of the issue, Japan's de facto embassy in Taiwan, the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, asked that the content of the MOU be listed as confidential, the Japanese report said.