Secretariat, Taipei City Government

To welcome key city representatives from Japan participating in World Masters Games 2025 Taipei & New Taipei City and the Taipei International Cities Forum, Deputy Mayor Wen-Te Chang of Taipei City received delegations from Kasama City, Hamamatsu City, and Shizuoka City on May 16, 2025. Deputy Mayor Chang emphasized the strong foundation of bilateral friendship between Taipei City and the three cities and expressed his hopes of expanding their exchanges.

During his meeting with Mayor Shinju Yamaguchi of Kasama City, Deputy Mayor Chang expressed his appreciation for the city’s long-term participation in events such as the CKS Shilin Residence Chrysanthemum Festival and Taipei Lantern Festival. He also acknowledged that the signing of a comprehensive agreement between the two cities in 2023 has led to even closer interactions between the two cities. Mayor Yamaguchi’s personal visit and participation in the forum highlight the longstanding friendship between Taipei City and Kasama City.

In his meeting with Deputy Mayor Yutaka Yamana of Hamamatsu City, Deputy Mayor Chang recalled the vibrant and multifaceted interactions between the two cities since 2009, including their exchanges regarding the Flora Exposition, music and tourism industry events, net-zero initiatives, and youth exchanges. He noted that Mayor Yusuke Nakano of Hamamatsu also personally led a delegation to the Smart City Summit & Expo in Taipei this March. The aforesaid endeavors have reflected a strong alignment in the two cities’ shared goals of digital and net-zero transformation. Future efforts between the two cities will focus on strengthening their strategic and practical cooperation.

While meeting with Mayor Takashi Nanba of Shizuoka City, Deputy Mayor Chang recognized the ongoing exchanges between the two cities that began with collaboration on a marathon event. Since the signing of a memorandum of understanding on friendly city exchanges in 2023, both cities have expanded their collaboration to tourism, education, and digital governance. Mayor Nanba’s return visit with a delegation demonstrates the importance Shizuoka City places on its relationship with Taipei.

Deputy Mayor Chang stated that Kasama City, Hamamatsu City, and Shizuoka City are all long-standing and important partners of Taipei City. Their participation in the World Masters Games and International Cities Forum not only fosters city diplomacy and international understanding but also lays a solid foundation for deepening cooperation in the future.