Shen Pao-yang launches Tokyo support group to boost Taiwan's diplomatic visibility

Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang arrived in the Japanese capital of Tokyo on the 12th of this month to attend the inauguration ceremony of the "Shen Po-yang Mayoral Japan Support Association." During the visit, Shen also accepted media interviews to outline the three major tasks of his trip: first, to officially establish the Japan Support Association to rally support from overseas Taiwanese and friendly individuals; second, to promote "parliamentary diplomacy" to enhance Taipei's visibility on the international stage through interactions with Japanese lawmakers; and third, to conduct field inspections of Japanese urban governance models to explore potential pathways for city diplomacy. This move comes at a critical juncture ahead of the Taipei mayoral election, demonstrating the candidate's determination to actively deploy international resources.

Relations between Japan and Taiwan have deepened continuously since the 1990s, with frequent exchanges at both grassroots and official levels. The establishment of support associations is not uncommon in Taiwanese politics; many political figures in the past have set up overseas support groups to consolidate the backing of expatriates and friendly individuals abroad. For Shen, the Japan Support Association serves not only as a source of campaign funds and volunteers, but also as a bridge to convey the image of "Taipei as a friendly and open city" to the Japanese public. Japanese society exhibits a relatively high degree of recognition for Taiwan's democracy and culture; effectively mobilizing overseas Taiwanese and Japanese friendship groups will provide a significant boost to his mayoral campaign.

"Parliamentary diplomacy" refers to the practice by local executive heads or candidates of establishing policy dialogue and cooperation platforms through interactions with legislative bodies of other countries. Shen's emphasis on meeting with Japanese lawmakers aims to secure support and cooperation at the legislative level, particularly on issues such as urban infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and smart cities. In the past, former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je also utilized the concept of "city diplomacy" to hold forums with lawmakers from various countries, fostering cross-border cooperative projects. If Shen can garner friendly voices within the Japanese parliament, it will provide a persuasive political endorsement for securing future Japanese corporate investment or technical cooperation.

Japan possesses mature experience in urban governance regarding public transportation, disaster prevention, and smart city construction. In particular, the practices of major metropolises like Tokyo and Osaka in urban renewal and green sustainability are frequently viewed as reference benchmarks by international city managers. Shen's itinerary for this trip includes visits to Tokyo's urban planning bureau and local municipalities, with the expectation of bringing back governance models that Taipei can learn from, while exploring possibilities for cooperation within the framework of city diplomacy. Successfully introducing Japan's advanced technology and management experience to Taipei will help enhance the city's competitiveness and demonstrate a concrete governance blueprint to voters during the election period.

Overall, Shen's three major objectives of establishing a support association in Japan, promoting parliamentary diplomacy, and engaging in urban governance exchanges are both an extension of campaign strategy and a reflection of the importance Taipei mayoral candidates place on "city diplomacy" and "cross-border cooperation." If this initiative successfully garners positive support from Japanese society and translates it into substantive policy cooperation, it will inject new momentum into Taipei's future urban development while enhancing Taiwan's visibility and discourse power on the international stage. (Source of facts: Central News Agency)