Japan’s former Prime Minister Mori hints that new PM Suga may give Taiwan President a phone call

Former Prime Minister of Japan Yoshiro Mori told President Tsai Ing-wen today, that the newly-appointed Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, is looking forward to communicating by phone, if the opportunity arises.

If the leaders of Japan and Taiwan were to have a telephone conversation, it would be a first since Japan severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1972.

Yoshiro Mori arrived this afternoon, Friday, September 18, to attend a memorial service for the late former President Lee Teng-hui. After his arrival, Mori went to the Presidential Office and had a 30-minute meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen.

During the course of the meeting, Mori said that Japan’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga called him yesterday and asked him to convey his regards to President Tsai Ing-wen, and the people of Taiwan.

Mr Mori said that Suga also said that if the opportunity arises, he looks forward to a telephone call with President Tsai.

For some reason, the on-site interpreter did not translate this statement into Chinese, The Storm Media reported.

President Tsai said that she hopes Taiwan-Japan ties will continue to deepen in all areas, and congratulated Suga on his election as the new prime minister of Japan.

Yoshihide Suga became Prime Minister of Japan on September 16, and is expected to begin contacting world leaders by phone September 20.

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