News
Live news updates: Shinzo Abe funeral service at Zojoji Temple, Japan
Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai arrived in Tokyo on Monday on a “private go to” for late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s funeral, in response to the Japan-Taiwan Trade Affiliation, Japan’s de facto embassy to Taiwan.
Lai’s beforehand unannounced journey makes him the highest-ranking Taiwanese official to go to Japan in 50 years for the reason that severance of diplomatic relations in 1972 between Japan and the Republic of China — Taiwan’s official identify.
China has constantly protested in opposition to international officers’ visits to Taiwan or international locations permitting Taiwan’s senior authorities officers to go to or transit, because it claims the self-ruled democratic island as its personal territory, regardless of the Communist Social gathering by no means having dominated over it.
Taipei has downplayed the go to by Lai.
“Vice President William Lai has been a long-time buddy to PM Abe and his household. The Vice President is deeply saddened by the passing of PM Abe and is grateful for his distinguished contribution to relations between Taiwan and Japan,” Taiwan’s presidential spokesperson Kolas Yotaka instructed CNN.
In an announcement, Taiwan’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs stated it had no additional info or touch upon Lai’s “private schedule,” including that senior authorities officers, together with President Tsai Ing-wen, Premier Su Tseng-chang and international minister Joseph Wu, had paid their respects to Abe at Japan’s de facto embassy in Taipei on Monday morning.
In an announcement to CNN, Japan’s Overseas Ministry stated Lai would attend Abe’s funeral “in non-public” throughout a “private go to.”