By Wang Han-ping and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writerTainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) yesterday attended the unveiling of a repaired statue of Japanese engineer Yoichi Hatta that was decapitated last month, saying Japan-Taiwan relations are now stronger. Lai apologized to the Hatta family for the city’s failure to protect the statue and called the decapitation a test that revealed true feelings in both nations. A commemorative ceremony for Hatta is to be held this afternoon, and is to be attended by his eldest grandson, Shuichi Hatta, and other family members, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Director-General Kinzo Nakagun, Kanazawa City Mayor Yukiyoshi Yamano and Kaga City Deputy Mayor Atsushi Kawai. Association president Yang Ming-feng (楊明風) said the repaired statue would be well-protected and well-monitored with improved lighting and cameras. Meanwhile, city officials have expressed concern that statues of other historical Japanese figures might come under attack, such as that of Japanese colonial-era Tainan mayor Matao Hatori.

Source: Taipei Times May 07, 2017 17:11 UTC