2025/06/25
Ministry of National Defense: Minister Wellington Koo Meets Japanese House of Representatives Member Takayuki Kobayashi
Time: 1930 hours, June 25, 2025
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo today (June 25) met with Japanese House of Representatives Member Takayuki Kobayashi at the Bo’ai Military Compound for in-depth discussions on key issues, including Indo-Pacific strategy, security cooperation, and Taiwan-Japan relations.
Accompanied by officials from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Koo welcomed Member Kobayashi and his delegation at the Bo’ai Military Compound. Minister Koo noted that Member Kobayashi has long supported Taiwan, not only as a member of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Parliamentary Alliance but also through his repeated advocacy in the Japanese Diet for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Health Assembly (WHA). Member Kobayashi’s assertion that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” underscores his strong commitment to regional peace and stability.
Minister Koo stated that during the 2018 Hualien earthquake, Member Kobayashi personally delivered disaster relief funds, demonstrating deep humanitarian concern and friendship toward Taiwan. As Japan’s first Minister of State for Economic Security, he strengthened Taiwan-Japan technological cooperation, establishing a new paradigm for the resilience of the bilateral semiconductor supply chain.
Minister Koo further emphasized that the Indo-Pacific region currently faces multiple challenges, including authoritarian expansion, gray-zone operations, and non-traditional security threats. As a democratic partner, Taiwan will continue to serve as a reliable and steadfast force in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan and Japan, as partners sharing values of freedom and democracy, should deepen cooperation to safeguard the international order and regional peace and stability.
Member Kobayashi stated that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are also critical to Japan’s national interests. The Taiwan-Japan relationship is characterized by deep friendship, with the peoples of both nations closely connected. Japan will continue to deepen cooperation with Taiwan, looking forward to joint efforts to safeguard regional peace and stability.