At Yushan Forum 2025 in Taipei, Taiwan on March 17, Japanese lawmaker and chair of the Japan-ROC Diet Member Consultative Council, Furuya Keiji, made a remark that “Taiwan and Japan mission is to pass on the ride between Japan and Taiwan to future generations. The Taiwanese emergency is the Japanese emergency.” After the speech, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and Councilor Furuya firmly shook hands, symbolizing the strong ties between Taiwan and Japan. At this forum, titled New Southbound Policy+: Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, and a New World, discussions highlighted that the relationship between Japan and Taiwan, centered on economic and technological cooperation, is inseparable from the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

Trajectory of Taiwan-Japan Relations

Since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in 1972, Japan-Taiwan relations have been maintained on a non-governmental, civilian basis. This relationship can be understood through three key aspects:

Firstly, in the civil society level of Taiwan, Japan has remained steadfast. According to the results of a 2022 survey, Japan ranked as Taiwan’s 1st favorite country from 2009 to 2021, and Taiwan regarded Japan as its most intimate country from 2015 to 2021. This enduring admiration is reflected in the widespread affection for Japanese culture, ranging from food and fashion to entertainment, which continues to enjoy a strong presence in Taiwan. Additionally, Taiwanese people often express a deep sense of gratitude toward Japan for its support during times of crisis, such as mutual support to natural disasters. These factors contribute to the solid foundation of goodwill between these two, transcending political and diplomatic barriers.

Secondly, Japan has steadily advanced practical cooperation with Taiwan as a significant economic partner, through various initiatives. These include technological cooperation in the construction of Taiwan High-Speed Rail using Japan’s Shinkansen technology and the signing of agreements on investment, and open skies between the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association and the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association, covering a wide range of fields. During my visit to Taipei, I was also surprised to see many Japanese companies. The number of Japanese companies in Taiwan has now reached around 3,000, and in 2023, Japan ranked as the second-largest import partner and the fourth-largest export partner for Taiwan. On the one hand, there have been recent significant investments in Japan by Taiwanese companies, exemplified by TSMC’s establishment of semiconductor fabrication facilities in Kumamoto. Such investments not only strengthen economic ties but also contribute to Japan’s semiconductor supply chain resilience.

Thirdly, the strong strategic alignment and shared interests between Japan and Taiwan in ensuring regional stability and security are evident on the diplomatic front. As former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remarked, “Taiwanese contingency is Japanese contingency,” and today’s Japanese security concern has largely focused on the South China Sea and Taiwan itself. In particular, Okinawa and other Japanese southwestern islands, called The Sakishima Islands, which are geographically closest to Taiwan, share similar security concerns to Taiwan, particularly regarding civilian evacuation in the contingency. For example, the Japanese government announced a plan on March 27, for an evacuation drill involving 120,000 residents of these island areas where the residents are already primarily planning to evacuate to the Kyushu region. In the future, they also plan to consider the support of employment and accommodations for those evacuating, as well as adjustments to accommodate those who require special consideration. In Taiwan, the evacuation exercise, Whole of Society Defense Resilience, took place recently to prepare for a potential crisis.

Taiwan-Japan as a Hub for Indo-Pacific Region Stability

Taiwan and Japan could have an opportunity to collaborate closely as a central hub for Indo-Pacific region stability. Given their shared concerns about regional security and mutual interest in countering external threats, particularly those posed by the Chinese government, the two can work together to strengthen their resilience and defense strategies.

1. Taiwan-Okinawa Joint Evacuation Exercises and Information Sharing: One possible area of cooperation is joint evacuation exercises and enhanced information sharing between Taiwan and Okinawa. Both regions could greatly benefit from exchanging experiences and best practices derived from their respective exercises. Despite differences in the number of residents and geographical specifics, the shared security concerns present an opportunity for mutual learning. For example, the Taiwanese exercise enhanced communication, evacuation planning, and resource coordination to bolster overall defense and resilience in a contingency. Okinawa, with its close proximity to Taiwan and strategic importance to Japan’s defense posture, could share similar insights from its own preparedness efforts, such as evacuation drills and civil defense measures. By conducting joint evacuation drills and improving information-sharing mechanisms, Taiwan and Okinawa could enhance their mutual preparedness, ensuring a more coordinated response in the event of an emergency. 

1. Forging a Resilient Semiconductor Alliance for Future Innovation: One of the most critical areas of collaboration between Taiwan and Japan is the semiconductor industry, which serves as the backbone of global technology and innovation. Taiwan, home to industry giants like TSMC, leads the world in semiconductor manufacturing, while Japan possesses key technological components and materials essential for semiconductor production, such as high-purity silicon and advanced photolithography equipment. A particularly exciting prospect, for instance, is the potential for Taiwan-Japan jointly building a “semiconductor innovation hub,” where cross-border collaboration on R&D, talent exchange, and manufacturing could reduce the dependency on a single supply source and fortify the region’s semiconductor infrastructure. This cooperation could also extend to the creation of resilient and secure supply chains, ensuring that disruptions, whether from natural disasters, geopolitical tensions, or technological shifts, will not threaten the global flow of critical technologies.

Taiwan and Japan act as a strategic partnership built on mutual trust and shared values, and can serve as a cornerstone for regional stability. By deepening cooperation in areas of civil society, disaster conflict, and technological innovation, these two could bolster resilience, ensuring a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific future.

Haruka Chunhyang Satake is a Young Leader of the Pacific Forum, specializing in US-Asia security and diplomacy. She is a Korean Japanese originally from Japan and graduated with an M.A. degree from the Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University in Washington D.C. Previously, she worked as a Policy Research Fellow of the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies, Johns Hopkins University. She writes on East Asian and US affairs with articles in The Stimson Center, The Diplomat, and The East Asia Forum. 

Photo: Leaders and representatives at the Yushan Forum 2025 in Taipei, Taiwan, reaffirming the strong ties between Taiwan and Japan. Source: Office of the President Republic of China