Envoy to Japan ready to upgrade two-way ties

Addressing the event, Feng, who returned to Tokyo from Taiwan a day earlier, said Taiwan's government is very concerned about the development of bilateral relations with Japan and that it has pinned great hopes on him to improve ties.

Feng stressed that while positive results may not be immediately forthcoming, he was determined to work toward the goal gradually and cautiously, and called for reciprocal efforts from the Japanese side and for the help of Taiwanese expatriates.

Feng thanked his predecessors for the solid foundation they have built in developing Taiwan-Japan relations and voiced his hope that the two-way relationship would progress smoothly.

Answering questions from reporters from Taiwanese media outlets, he said that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Tokyo will soon apply to the Japanese government to open an office in Hokkaido.

“We will put forward the application as soon as possible. The Japanese side has responded positively,” he noted.

The major purpose of opening a branch in the northern prefecture, Feng said, is to provide necessary assistance to Taiwanese tourists and help lure Hokkaido residents to Taiwan. Taiwanese tourists average more than 280,000 visits to Hokkaido a year, far more than the 18,000 visits to Taiwan by Hokkaido residents, statistics show.

The planned office also aims to assist Taiwanese fishing boats operating in waters off the coasts of Hokkaido if they encounter difficulties.

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