Tokyo, Nov. 9 (CNA) Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) opened the first-ever Taiwan Expo in Japan Thursday, and touted an estimated NT$10 billion (US$309.8 million) in new investment from Japanese companies in Taiwan.
The opening of the three-day event in Tokyo was attended by dignities from the two countries, including Taiwan’s top envoy to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) Chairman James Huang (黃志芳), global chief marketing officer and Taiwan president of SEMI Terry Tsao (曹世綸), as well as Kazuyuki Katayama, representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, Tomohiro Takashima, director of JETRO Taiwanese Company Investment Support Group, and Dietmen Yasushi Kaneko and Yuki Waseda.
Hsieh said the Taiwan Expo provides a marvelous opportunity to showcase Taiwan’s diversity and creativity in technology, culture, arts and other fields, reflecting the importance Taiwan attaches to Japan and other partners around the world.
Wang told reporters that her delegation visited FUJIFILM and some semiconductor companies, including Ebara Corporation, after arriving in Japan.
“All these companies have indicated a willingness to increase their investment in Taiwan, which could reach around NT$10 billion, and we can expect to see the first tranche of that in the first quarter of next year,” she said.
On Thursday, Wang also attended the Japan-Taiwan Semiconductor Forum in Tokyo. During her stay in Japan, she will also participate in an activity to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hsinchu-based Industrial Technology Research Institute — a key promoter of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry.
Wang is heading a delegation that is visiting Japan from Nov. 8-13.
Praising the close bond between Taiwan and Japan, the economics minister said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s investment in a new wafer plant in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture has triggered great interest from the Japanese side, while also bringing more Japanese businesses to invest in Taiwan.
Optimistic that the Taiwan Expo will attract many Japanese visitors, Huang said the expo centers around the theme of a smart sustainable life, with 135 Taiwanese companies displaying state-of-the-art products and technology.
Huang expressed hope the event will help forge closer partnerships between enterprises in the two countries.
In addition, TAITRA said, a virtual display of cultural treasures staged by the National Palace Museum, a digital tour of temples around Taiwan organized by the General Association of Chinese Culture, and an orchid exhibition will also showcase the beauty of Taiwan’s culture to Japanese visitors.
