Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

On October 20, Mayor Ko Wen-je inked the MOU with several Japanese cities in areas spanning tourism development, economic corporation, humanities and arts collaboration, and sports exchange.

The other signatories of the MOU include Igi Takashi, Mayor of Yonago City and Chairman of Nakaumi Sicyou Kai; Mayor Uesada Akihito of Matsuyama City; Mayor Date Kentaro of Sakaminato City; Mayor Tanaka Takeo of Yasugi City, and Deputy Mayor Ito Kou of Izumo City.

During his address, the mayor noted that Taipei’s official collaboration with Matsuyama City dates back to the 2010 Taipei International Floral Expo. Informal interaction has been ongoing since 2007, when the Japanese city participated in a peony exhibition at the Jianguao Holiday Flower Market. 

The donations from Taiwan following the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake reaffirmed the friendship between the two nations, and starting 2012, Matsuyama City organized the Matsuyama City Daikonshima Peony Exhibition at the lobby Taipei City Hall for three consecutive years, allowing local residents to enjoy the beautiful flowers without having to travel all the way to Japan. 

The two cities signed a MOU to strengthen bilateral relationship. With the help of Matsuyama City Government, Taipei City got in touch with the Nakaumi Sicyou Kai in 2019 and began working together on exchanges. Today’s memorandum is an important step for all those involved, providing opportunities to strengthen interactions in the areas of agriculture, economy, sports, and culture. 

Ko remarked that due to COVID-19, exchanges between Taipei and Matsuyama has been suspended for the past three years. The easing of travel restrictions and the subsiding of the pandemic allowed the participating cities to finalize the MOU, and he expressed his gratitude to the leaders of the Japanese cities for their support.