By Reiko Suzuki, Taiwan

Taiwan’s President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who will be sworn in on May 20, met with a group of junior lawmakers from Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), including House of Representatives member Nobuo Kishi, at the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) headquarters in Taipei on May 5. Current President Ma Ying-jeou has protested the seizure of a Taiwanese fishing boat by the Japan Coast Guard in waters near Okinotorishima, but the new Taiwanese president and Japan’s LDP lawmakers agreed to aim at resolving the issue at an early date. This information was disclosed by Kishi after the meeting, but the DPP side has not clarified it.

Two vessels, including a patrol boat, dispatched by the Ma administration, will likely arrive in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on May 6. The Ma administration has also dispatched a military vessel. Taiwanese newspapers have reported that the government has also dispatched a large patrol ship.

Kishi and other LDP members are scheduled to meet with President Ma on May 6. In their meeting with President-elect Tsai, the LDP group exchanged views on the development of Japan-Taiwan relations after Tsai takes office.