Taiwan’s President Tsai congratulates Japan’s Kishida Fumio on winning LDP party vote

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen offered congratulations to Japan’s former Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio on Wednesday (Sept. 29) after he won the vote for leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Tsai congratulated Kishida in her capacity as head of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said DPP Spokesperson Yen Juo-fang.

With 257 votes, Kishida defeated rival Kano Taro, who managed 170, in the second round of voting.

Since the ruling LDP enjoys a clear majority in Japan’s parliament, it is almost certain Kishida will be elected Japan’s next prime minister, officially taking the reins from Suga Yoshihide in early October.

Tsai said she looks forward to deepening exchanges between the DPP and LDP after Kishida assumes his role, promoting the development of both Taiwan and Japan, Yen added.

Kishida has publicly shown support for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations such as the WHO, observed Kuo Yu-jen, professor at the Institute of China and the Asia-Pacific of National Sun Yat-sen University. Kishida has also voiced support for Taiwan’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Kuo noted.

Tsai’s congratulatory message came just nine days after she participated in a remote call with female LDP contender Takaichi Sanae. The meeting was arranged after Takaichi said she would “very much like to meet” Tsai in an interview with the Sankei Shimbun earlier this month.

Tsai said the talk, though short, was a “very meaningful exchange of opinion” and that she hopes exchanges between the two countries will continue to deepen.

Agencies