Ex-Taiwan Premier Calls for Cooperation with Japan, U.S.

Tokyo, May 12 (Jiji Press)--Visiting former Taiwanese Premier Lai Ching-te on Sunday called for stronger cooperation among Taiwan, Japan and the United States. Taiwan and Japan face a threat to regional safety from China, Lai said in a speech at a conference with Taiwanese living in Japan. The United States, Japan and Taiwan should strengthen their cooperation to protect the stability, security and peace of the region together, he added. Lai, a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, plans to run in the Taiwanese presidential election in January 2020. He will vie with current President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking reelection, for the party's nomination. Ahead of the gathering, Lai had talks with Japanese media organizations. Regarding Taiwan's import ban on Japanese food made in Fukushima and some other prefectures, Lai told the media organizations that he will resolve the issue rationally if he is elected Taiwanese president. Taiwanese voted to continue the ban in a referendum in November last year. During his five-day visit to Japan from Wednesday, Lai met with Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers Koichi Hagiuda, close to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Nobuo Kishi, Abe's brother, who heads a group of young Diet members working for economic and cultural exchanges between Japan and Taiwan. END