JAPAN REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE UNVEILS NEW NAME|台日關係重大突破 "日台交流協會"揭牌

The JAPAN Interchange Association decided to change its name to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association on Jan. 1, 2017 after the Tsai administration took office last May. The plaque unveiling ceremony was held on Jan. 3, a breakthrough between the two nations since Japan severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan 44 years ago. The Japan Interchange Association officially changed its name to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association and held the ceremony of unveiling the plaque on Jan. 3. Association of East Asian Relations Chairman Chiou I-jen, Vice Minister of MOFA Lee Chen-jan and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Mikio Numata took pictures holding hands. When addressing, Mikio Numata hoped the best relations between the two nations for now could step forward. ==MIKIO NUMATA Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative== From now on, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association is to work with Taiwan representatives, making the best relations between the two nations for now step forward. The name of Taiwan added to the title is a clear manifestation of the country it has interchanged with so that the public are able to recognize it, Mikio Numata said. National flowers of Taiwan and Japan, which are plum blossom and cherry blossom respectively, are put on the new plaque, signifying amicable relations. The name change sparks the ire of China and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged a strong protest against the move. Thus, Taiwan-Japan relations entail not only the two nations but international situations, Chiou I-jen said, expressing the need for a careful assessment. ==CHIOU I-JEN Association of East Asian Relations Chair== Taiwan-Japan relations are not just between the two nations. Comprehensive situations like the international situations are also involved. We need to carefully assess the whole situations, including the domestic ones. To prevent protests from interfering, the police blocked the road and remained on high alert during the ceremony today. However, episodes of protests still occurred, with Taiwan Independence Party shouting slogans that Japan got rid of white gloves to establish ties with Taiwan. Some people protested the import of nuclear-affected foods. TRANSLATED BY：BRYANT CHANG 日本交流協會正式更名為日本台灣交流協會，3號正式揭牌儀式，亞東關係協會會長邱義仁和外交部次長李澄然，還和日本代表沼田幹夫一起手牽手留影，沼田致辭時更希望台日能在目前"最佳關係"上，更上層樓。 ==日本台灣交流協會代表 沼田幹夫== 今後日本台灣交流協會 將與台灣相關人員一起 讓過去所謂現在是日台關係 最佳狀態的情形 能夠再上一層樓 沼田指出，交流協會名稱加上台灣，能明確指出交流對象，讓外界更認識，而且新招牌將台日國花，梅花和櫻花，各自放在國名上，更有友好意味。但台日正名已讓中國大陸跳腳，中國外交部已向日表達強烈不滿，因此邱義仁今天意有所指表示，台日關係不只台灣日本，還牽涉國際情勢，必須小心評估。 ==亞東關係協會會長 邱義仁== 台日不只是日本台灣雙方的問題 還必須牽涉到廣泛的 國際情勢的變遷 我們必須非常小心的評估 整個情勢的變化 包括國內情勢的變化 今天的揭牌儀式，為防範抗議行動，警方封路高度戒備，但仍出現抗議事件，包括台灣建國黨在場邊高喊，日本脫掉白手套與台灣建交等口號，以及個人抗議核食進口等零星衝突。 記者 李曉儒 郭俊麟 台北報導