Taiwan congratulates Takaichi on re-electionKEY PARTNERS: A vocal supporter of Taiwan, the Japanese prime minister has repeatedly stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan StraitBy Huang Chin-hsuan / Staff reporterTaiwan looks forward to working with Japan to realize a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and to continue their deepening partnership, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday, as he congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her reappointment by parliament to form her second Cabinet. Takaichi enjoys a strong base of public support and has long been a vocal supporter of Taiwan, a ministry statement quoted Lin as saying. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, right, meets with Sanae Takaichi, then visiting Taiwan in her capacity as a Japanese Diet member, in Taipei on April 28 last year. Photo: Screen grab from Lin Chia-lung’s Facebook pageBefore being elected LDP president last year, Takaichi led a delegation to Taiwan and met with President William Lai (賴清德), Lin said. Since taking office as prime minister, she has highlighted at multiple major international forums the vital importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, he added.

Source: Taipei Times February 18, 2026 16:14 UTC