Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Taiwan Ministry to Accept Donations for Japan Quake Relief; Foreign Minister Cites ‘Family-Like Relationship’

Masatsugu Sonoda/The Yomiuri Shimbun
Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu, center right, and Kazuyuki Katayama, representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association’s Taipei Office, center left, hold signs saying, “Hang in there, Japan, we’re praying for you” in Taipei on Thursday.

By Masatsugu Sonoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

21:20 JST, January 4, 2024

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s foreign ministry said Thursday it will accept donations from the public to help the areas affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.

Taiwan authorities will also donate ¥60 million.

“Japan and Taiwan have a family-like relationship, having reached out to each other when help was most needed,” Taiwan foreign minister Joseph Wu said at a press conference. “After the earthquake, many people in Taiwan expressed their desire to support people in the affected areas.”

Wu added in Japanese, “Hang in there, Japan.”

Kazuyuki Katayama, representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association’s Taipei Office, also attended the press conference.

“We Japanese have seen again that we have true friends who help us in difficult times,” Katayama said.