Japan’s de facto ambassador to Taiwan yesterday thanked Taiwanese for donating more than ￥2.5 billion (US$16.9 million) for earthquake relief efforts.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula on Jan. 1, followed by multiple aftershocks, claimed more than 230 lives, with 19 people still missing as of Thursday.
The Taiwanese government on Jan. 4 announced that it was donating ￥60 million and opening disaster relief accounts to accept donations from the private sector from Jan. 5 to Friday last week.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The accounts collected more than 134,000 donations totaling more than ￥2.5 billion, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), on behalf of Taiwan, yesterday presented the donation to Kazuyuki Katayama, chief representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association’s Taipei Office.
Representatives from companies and private groups that joined the donation campaign — including Cathay Financial Holding Co, Hon Hai Technology Group, E.Sun Financial Holding Co, Syncmold Enterprise Group, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp, Taishin Bank, CTBC Financial Holding Co. Ltd, Hiwin Technologies Co, Taiwan Soka Association, Andrew Charity Association and Golden Friends Corp Foundation — attended the ceremony.
Katayama thanked senior Taiwanese officials for conveying their condolences and willingness to assist right after the earthquake, as well as the Taiwanese public for their donations and messages of encouragement, which were very heart-warming.
The donations are another testament to the friendship between Taiwan and Japan, he said, adding that his friends in Japan repeatedly asked him to convey their sincere gratitude to Taiwanese.
Post-disaster reconstruction work continues around the clock, as water, electricity and gas supplies have not yet been restored in some areas and many people are unable to return home due to collapsed houses and blocked roads, he said.
With the kind help of Taiwanese, the earthquake-stricken areas can hopefully be reconstructed soon, he said.
Taiwan-Ishikawa Association member Shigehito Tokumitsu said that he was deeply grateful to Taiwan for donating and assisting in rescue efforts.
Tokumitsu shared that he had received a letter written by 20 elementary-school students, asking him to convey the care and concern of Taiwanese to Japan, which moved him to tears.
The warmth and care shown by Taiwanese would greatly encourage victims of the earthquake and give them courage along the road to recovery, he said.
The courage, perseverance and confidence of Taiwanese enable them to be kind to their neighbors, he said.
Whenever a major disaster occurs, Taiwan and Japan have always lent a helping hand to support each other, Wu said.
The tight bond between Taiwan and Japan is most evident when either side is in need, he said.
“We are each other’s strongest supporters,” he said.
The donation is not only a number, but an embodiment of the kind intentions of countless Taiwanese, he said, adding that many Taiwanese, including himself, are concerned about the well-being of people in the disaster area, as Ishikawa has been experiencing heavy snowfall recently.
Twenty-four Republican members of the US House of Representatives yesterday introduced a concurrent resolution calling on the US government to abolish the “one China” policy and restore formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Led by US representatives Tom Tiffany and Scott Perry, the resolution calls for not only re-establishing formal relations, but also urges the US Trade Representative to negotiate a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Taiwan and for US officials to advocate for Taiwan’s full membership in the UN and other international organizations. In a news release announcing the resolution, Tiffany, who represents a Wisconsin district, called the “one China” policy “outdated, counterproductive
Actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has “returned home” to Taiwan, and there are no plans to hold a funeral for the TV star who died in Japan from influenza- induced pneumonia, her family said in a statement Wednesday night. The statement was released after local media outlets reported that Barbie Hsu’s ashes were brought back Taiwan on board a private jet, which arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. To the reporters waiting at the airport, the statement issued by the family read “[we] appreciate friends working in the media for waiting in the cold weather.” “She has safely returned home.
ON PAROLE: The 73-year-old suspect has a criminal record of rape committed when he was serving in the military, as well as robbery and theft, police said The Kaohsiung District Court yesterday approved the detention of a 73-year-old man for allegedly murdering three women. The suspect, surnamed Chang (張), was arrested on Wednesday evening in connection with the death of a 71-year-old woman surnamed Chao (趙). The Kaohsiung City Police Department yesterday also unveiled the identities of two other possible victims in the serial killing case, a 75-year-old woman surnamed Huang (黃), the suspect’s sister-in-law, and a 75-year-old woman surnamed Chang (張), who is not related to the suspect. The case came to light when Chao disappeared after taking the suspect back to his residence on Sunday. Police, upon reviewing CCTV
TRUMP ERA: The change has sparked speculation on whether it was related to the new US president’s plan to dismiss more than 1,000 Joe Biden-era appointees The US government has declined to comment on a post that indicated the departure of Laura Rosenberger as chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Neither the US Department of State nor the AIT has responded to the Central News Agency’s questions on the matter, after Rosenberger was listed as a former chair on the AIT’s official Web site, with her tenure marked as 2023 to this year. US officials have said previously that they usually do not comment on personnel changes within the government. Rosenberger was appointed head of the AIT in 2023, during the administration of former US president Joe
RSS