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Taiwan invitation a
recognition of its contribution: Abe
Staff writer, with CNA, TOKYO
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday that his government invited
Taiwan to send a representative to an earthquake memorial service to make amends
for the fact that Taiwan was not properly recognized at last yearˇ¦s ceremony.
Although Taiwan donated more than ˘D20 billion (US$208.2 million) in relief and
reconstruction aid after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, more than any other
country, it was not named at last yearˇ¦s anniversary memorial on the list of the
countries that had helped Japan, Abe said in a Facebook post.
This omission hurt the feelings of Taiwanese and was against proper protocol,
even though a Taiwanese official was present at last yearˇ¦s event, said Abe, who
assumed office in December.
For this reason, Abe said, he decided to do things differently.
During Mondayˇ¦s second anniversary memorial, when the list of countries that
helped Japan was being read, Taiwan was included, although the countryˇ¦s name
was not mentioned, but rather the ˇ§Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative
Office in Japanˇ¨ was credited.
Representative to Japan Shen Ssu-tsun (¨H´µ˛E) and other members of the foreign
diplomatic corps were invited to lay wreaths in memory of the disaster victims.
Because of Japanˇ¦s decision to include Taiwan, China did not send a
representative to the memorial service, which Abe said was ˇ§regrettable.ˇ¨
However, Japan has to mind its manners, Abe said, expressing gratitude to Taiwan
and all those who supported Japan after the March 11, 2011, disaster.
The Facebook post received more than 30,000 ˇ§likesˇ¨ and was ˇ§sharedˇ¨ by about
4,000 people within three hours of Abe uploading the message.
At last yearˇ¦s anniversary event, Vice Representative to Japan Lo Koon-tsan
(Ăą©[Ŕé) was seated with representatives of civic groups, and not with the
dignitaries.
Lo was also not invited to go on stage to lay wreaths.
These arrangements were panned by Japanese parliamentarians and the media.
Then-Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda later apologized for the snub.
Additional reporting by Chang Mao-sen
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