Suzuki, a former Japanese minister of justice in the Cabinet of former Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba and a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), arrived on Monday with his delegation. From left, Japanese representatives Akihisa Nagashima, Keisuke Suzuki and Junichi Kanda attend a news conference at the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association in Taipei yesterday. “We have concluded that to make sure a Taiwan contingency does not happen, we need to beef up our deterrence capabilities,” he said, without elaborating. Asked whether he discussed ways to enhance bilateral defense cooperation during the meetings in Taipei, Suzuki did not give a direct answer. Lawmakers traveling overseas to conduct exchanges would continue despite the lack of official ties between Tokyo and Taipei, he said.

Source: Taipei Times December 24, 2025 16:11 UTC