The annual quota for young people joining the Taiwan-Japan working holiday program is to be doubled from next month, the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association said yesterday.
The association, which represents Japanese interests in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties, made the remarks at a news conference in Taipei to mark the 10th anniversary of the program.
Taiwan-Japan Relations Association President Chiou I-jen (邱義仁) said that Taiwan is grateful for the Japanese government and the Japanese association’s decision to boost the quota to 10,000 for each side.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
The program enhances genuine cultural understanding between the two nations by giving young Taiwanese first-hand experience of living and working in Japan, Chiou said.
Meanwhile, Taiwan should improve its attractiveness to visitors, as the quota of 5,000 young Japanese is not being filled, he said.
Launched in 2009, the program is open to people from either side aged 18 to 30. The annual quota in 2014 was increased from 2,000 to 5,000 for each side.
The Japanese government said 8,436 Taiwanese last year applied to visit Japan under the program.
Kazuhiro Jinpei, who visited Taiwan through the program in 2015, said he did not speak Chinese at the time and had never been outside of Japan previously.
“I admire the optimism and the spirit among young people in Taiwan to confront challenges,” he said, adding that his time in Taiwan gave him a deeper understanding of the cultures of both sides.
“I hope more Taiwanese and Japanese take advantage of the working holiday program to understand each other’s cultures,” he said. “They should just do it and not worry.”
Wang Wen-hsuan (王文萱), a Taiwanese woman who has lived in Japan for a decade, said Taiwanese interested in the program should not deny their heritage.
“I would ask them to combine the good things they learn in a foreign culture with that of their own,” Wang said. “With this attitude, they will find success in work and life.”
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although