TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan Vice President William Lai became the most senior Taiwan official to visit Japan in five decades by travelling to Tokyo on Monday to offer condolences after the killing of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the official Central News Agency reported.
Taiwan’s CNA said Lai was the most senior official to visit Japan since Tokyo broke official ties with Taipei in 1972 and forged relations with Beijing.
Citing a senior lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, Can said Lai visited Abe’s residence in Tokyo to offer condolences and is scheduled to attend his funeral on Tuesday.
Like most nations, Japan has no formal diplomatic ties with the Chinese-claimed island, but some senior Japanese officials have become increasingly outspoken on their support for Taiwan in recent years.
China says the democratic island does not have the right to state-to-state relations and has stepped up efforts to isolate it diplomatically.
Lai was seen earlier Monday visiting Abe’s residence with Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to Japan, Frank Hsieh, according to Japanese media reports.
Taiwan’s Presidential Office said it had no comment on the reports, but noted Lai was “a close friend for many years” with Abe and his family.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry was unable to immediately comment, while its Taiwan counterpart said in a statement it would not comment on Lai’s “personal schedule”. It did not elaborate.
Earlier on Monday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen offered her condolences in a visit to Japan’s de facto embassy in Taipei, saying she will continue Abe’s legacy of closer Taiwan-Japan relationships and deepen ties between the two sides.
She has ordered Taiwan flags to be flown at half-staff through Monday to honour Abe, who was widely considered in Taiwan an important contributor to warming Taipei-Tokyo ties in recent years.
(Reporting By Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Elaine Lies in Tokyo; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
