Embark on an affordable and culturally rich city break to Tokyo, where a long weekend can unfold into an exploration of Japan’s enigmatic capital. The next time you are planning a long weekend away, consider thinking a bit further afield than Taipei or Kaohsiung. Direct flights connecting the central airports of Taipei’s Songshan and Tokyo’s…
Tokyo could play a decisive role in deterring or defeating a Chinese attack on Taiwan, but questions remain about its potential involvement. China’s increasing aggression toward Taiwan has alarmed Japanese policymakers and prompted a rethink in Tokyo about Japan’s approach to cross-Strait security. Though constrained in some regards by its pacifist constitution, Japan is taking…
AmCham Taiwan extends its heartfelt condolences to the people of Japan following the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in Nara last month. Abe was a longtime friend and fervent supporter of Taiwan and spared no effort in advancing Japan’s relations with Taiwan, both during his time in power and after…
By Dexter Murray and Aimee Wu Taiwan to Ease Border Restrictions As the latest domestic outbreaks of the COVID-19 Omicron variant are largely under control and vaccination rates are high, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) has announced plans to gradually reopen Taiwan’s borders. From March 7, the quarantine period for international travelers entering Taiwan…
U.S. Frigates Join Navy. More on the Way? The Taiwan Navy took possession of two refurbished U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates on March 16 at a cost of around US$190 million. The two frigates are equipped with AN/SQR-19 Multi-Function Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS), a system for the long-range passive detection of enemy submarines which was…
The Japanese property market is heating up as global buyers show increasing interest in prime areas of Tokyo, the world’s largest metropolitan area. Through May, the number of existing condominiums sold in Tokyo increased by 5.4% to 16,152 units year-on-year, while existing detached house sales rose by 14.3% on an annual basis to 8,224 units,…
Understanding relations between these two major economies requires consideration of many centuries of history. China and Japan at Loggerheads China and Japan are the world’s second and third largest economies. It therefore matters greatly that the Communist Party of China (CCP) manufactures and mobilizes anti-Japan hatreds in China. The CCP’s aim is to turn what…
More than 70 years after the Japanese occupation of Taiwan ended, Japan’s legacy endures in the Taiwanese capital. At first blush, little remains of Japan’s colonial legacy in Taipei. The traditional Japanese wooden homes that lined the Taiwanese capital’s streets in the mid-20th century were long ago razed to make way for contemporary mid-…
Former president Lee Teng-hui placed himself once more at the center of controversy with remarks that referred to Japan, former colonial master of Taiwan, as his “motherland” when he was a young man. In an article for a Japanese-language publication, Lee noted that both he and his brother volunteered for the Japanese Imperial army during…
