EDITORIAL: Baseball diplomacy sets precedentWhile tens of thousands of baseball fans watched Taiwan defeat the Czech Republic 14-0 to secure their first victory at the World Baseball Classic at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) was also at the game, marking the first visit to Japan by a sitting Taiwanese premier since the two sides severed diplomatic ties in 1972. The last incumbent premier to set foot on Japanese territory was Yen Chia-kan (嚴家淦) in 1970, who visited Japan to attend the Japan World Exposition in Osaka. Although Cho took only a one-day trip to Japan, the Tokyo government’s tacit approval of the visit is tantamount to redefining diplomatic boundaries with Taiwan. Statistics from the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association showed that mutual visits between the two countries reached a record-high 8.2 million visits last year. By using a global-focused sports event to make an appearance at the Tokyo Dome, Cho’s trip to some degree has made a successful operation out of soft diplomacy.

Source: Taipei Times March 12, 2026 17:43 UTC