Secretariat, Taipei City Government

On June 24, 2026, Taipei Mayor Wan-An Chiang met with Hiroyasu Izumi, senior research fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and former chief representative of the Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association, along with his delegation, at Taipei City Hall. The two sides exchanged views on regional affairs, the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and Japan, and the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. They also expressed their hope to further strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and to work together to address future challenges.

Mayor Chiang began by welcoming his longtime friend on his return visit and thanking him for his efforts to promote exchanges between the two countries during his tenure in Taiwan, noting that he had made major contributions to strengthening bilateral interaction and cooperation.

Izumi remarked that the relations between Taiwan and Japan had become even closer than when he was stationed in Taiwan two years earlier, with the Japanese public demonstrating stronger support for Taiwan. He noted that, in addition to the impact of changes in the international landscape, Taiwan’s robust economic growth had been a key contributing factor. In particular, the semiconductor industry, exemplified by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, was of great importance not only to Japan but also to the global supply chain. Izumi further stated that he had publicly expressed support on numerous occasions for Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and that he would continue to advocate for deeper Taiwan–Japan exchanges and Taiwan’s participation in the international community.

Mayor Chiang stated that Taiwan and Japan are important partners, and he expressed his optimism toward further deepening the bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In addition to successfully securing Taipei as the location for NVIDIA’s overseas headquarters, Taipei City Government has been actively advancing the development of the AI industry, with the goal of establishing the city as an AI-powered smart city. In the future, Taipei will continue to promote smart city initiatives, including innovative applications such as autonomous driverless buses, with the aim of enhancing urban governance and improving residents’ quality of life through technology. With Japan’s strong capabilities in robotics and high-tech industries, Mayor Chiang expressed his hope of further expanding bilateral exchanges and cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, AI, and other advanced technologies.

Izumi commended Taiwan for its solid industrial foundation, outstanding talent pool, and high capacity for innovation, describing it as a reliable partner for Japan.

During the meeting, Izumi invited Chiang to visit Japan again in the future. Mayor Chiang highlighted that he looked forward to returning to Japan to further strengthen the relations between the two countries and create new opportunities for bilateral cooperation.