On March 16, 2026, President Lai Ching-te welcomed Keiji Furuya, the chair of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council, at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. During the meeting, Lai expressed hopes for the expansion of bilateral cooperation in critical industries between Taiwan and Japan. He acknowledged Furuya's leadership and efforts in enhancing parliamentary exchanges and advocating for Taiwan on various significant issues, especially amid increasing authoritarian pressures from China. Lai underscored the importance of Taiwan and Japan's strong economic ties, particularly in the semiconductor sector, suggesting new collaborations in strategic areas, including artificial intelligence and energy security. Furuya, in his response, highlighted the potential for advancing regional development through shared objectives between their governments, referencing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's investments in Japan as an example of fruitful cooperation. Both leaders acknowledged the growing challenges in maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait and reiterated their commitment to work together towards safeguarding Taiwan's democracy and regional peace. Furthermore, Lai noted the ambitious goal of surpassing 10 million mutual tourist visits this year, reflecting the strengthening people-to-people ties between Taiwan and Japan, which reached 8 million in the previous year. This gathering underscores the ongoing commitment of both nations to not only enhance their economic cooperation but also to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape of the region with shared mutual interests and stability in mind.