Pupoan Shen's Japan visit deepens bilateral AI submarine cable cooperation

Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Taipei Mayor Shen Po-yang returned to Taoyuan Airport from Japan late on the night of the 14th, concluding a multi-day visit to the country. This trip served not only as a personal itinerary, but also as official and private exchanges centered on the main theme of "deepening Taiwan-Japan cooperation." During a press conference upon his return, Shen explained that during his time in Japan, he held discussions with numerous lawmakers, as well as figures from industry, government, and academia, on diverse topics including artificial intelligence, industrial upgrading, submarine communication cables, and cognitive warfare. He also conducted on-site inspections of social policies such as smoke-free cities, child protection, and free school meal programs, hoping to bring Japan's advanced experiences back to Taiwan as a reference for future municipal administration and cross-strait diplomacy.

In the field of artificial intelligence, both Taiwan and Japan have listed AI as a national strategic priority. Japan announced its AI Strategy in 2022, emphasizing industrial application and ethical governance, while Taiwan has proposed building an AI innovation ecosystem in its Smart Machinery and AI Development Blueprint. Shen pointed out that both sides exhibit a high degree of complementarity in AI talent cultivation, the chip supply chain, and smart city construction. Through technological exchanges and joint research and development, Taipei City can accelerate its digital transformation in smart transportation and public services while enhancing Taiwan's visibility in international AI competition.

Submarine cables formed another core issue of the visit. The cross-regional submarine cable project jointly participated in by Japan and Taiwan encompasses high-speed fiber-optic routes running from Japan's Honshu to the main island of Taiwan, holding critical value for information security and regional economic connectivity. Shen emphasized that robust submarine cable infrastructure not only enhances data transmission efficiency between the two countries, but also provides backup channels in the face of natural disasters or external attacks, ensuring the continued operation of financial, medical, and government services. This initiative also echoes the shared concerns of both countries regarding supply chain resilience and information sovereignty.

Cognitive warfare and child protection represented the social dimensions of Shen's visit to Japan. In recent years, Taiwan has frequently suffered from external information warfare and disinformation attacks, prompting the government to launch multiple defense mechanisms. Japan also possesses mature models of media literacy and information security education in this regard. Shen stated that both sides can enhance defense effectiveness through information sharing and joint drills. On the other hand, the smoke-free city and free meal programs he visited showcased Japan's forward-looking policies in public health and social welfare, providing practical and emulatable examples for Taipei's future promotion of smoke-free urban districts and subsidies for school nutrition lunches.

In summary, Shen's trip not only deepened multi-level interactions between Taiwan and Japan in high technology, infrastructure, and social governance, but also infused international perspective and policy depth into his upcoming campaign for Taipei Mayor. Successfully implementing Japan's successful experiences in Taipei is expected to improve the quality of urban governance while solidifying the close local strategic partnership between Taiwan and Japan.