Lai congratulates Takaichi on reelection as Japan PM

Taipei, Feb. 18 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Wednesday night congratulated Sanae Takaichi on her reappointment as Japan's prime minister.

"I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her successful reelection, and thank her for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and expressing support for Taiwan at major international occasions," Lai wrote in Chinese and Japanese in a post on X.

"I look forward to Taiwan and Japan continuing to deepen their partnership and working together to contribute to the realization of a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific.'"

Japan's House of Representatives formally reappointed Takaichi as prime minister on Wednesday after her Liberal Democratic Party secured a two-thirds majority in the snap lower house election on Feb. 8.