The Yushan Forum, which is organized to consolidate Taiwan’s strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region and deepen regional cooperation, has become an important platform that has increased Taiwan’s international visibility over the years. The forum, which was held for the eighth time on March 17-18, 2025, continues to function as a tool aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s economic and strategic ties within the framework of the “New Southbound Policy+”. The Forum brought together more than 3,600 participants from 28 different countries as part of Taiwan’s goals for economic and trade cooperation, talent exchange, and regional linkage.[1]
The Yushan Forum was also attended by a delegation led by Furuya Keiji, Member of the House of Representatives of Japan and Chairman of the Consultative Council of Councillors of the Japan-Republic of China (ROC).[2] At the forum, the steps to be taken by Japan to develop economic, strategic and technological cooperation with Taiwan were discussed. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to its security and economic development and stated that Taiwan and Japan play an important role as guarantors of regional security. Japan’s participation in this forum is another indicator that supports Taiwan’s strategic importance in the region. In Furuya Keiji’s speech, it was emphasized that Taiwan-Japan relations should be further strengthened in the economic, technological and security fields.
President Furuya Keiji’s emphasis on industrial cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, expressed in his speech at the Yushan Forum, points to a number of critical areas where the strategic relationship between the parties can be further deepened. Furuya highlighted opportunities to enhance cooperation, particularly in areas such as semiconductors, energy, artificial intelligence, drones and economic security.[3] These areas are highly important for the economic future of not only Taiwan and Japan, but also the entire region, and each of them has the capacity to potentially create win-win scenarios for both Taiwan and Japan.
The semiconductors sector is already strategically important for Taiwan, and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has a large market share worldwide. Japan’s technology and manufacturing capacity could expand to complement Taiwan’s strength in this area. In addition, cooperation in the field of energy can be beneficial, especially in renewable energy and energy efficiency. By combining Taiwan’s environmentally friendly energy policies with Japan’s technological infrastructure, great progress can be made in this sector. By conducting more research and development on energy efficiency, both actors can contribute to regional and global energy supply security.
Cooperation in high-tech areas such as artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicles could reinforce Taiwan and Japan’s international competitive advantage. While Japan has a long history in robotics and artificial intelligence, Taiwan stands out as an actor that is rapidly adopting and developing these technologies. Unmanned aerial vehicles, in particular, are of great strategic importance with their increasing use in the fields of defense and logistics. Taiwan’s strong digital infrastructure and Japan’s advanced engineering and R&D power can make cooperation in this field even more efficient.
President Furuya Keiji noted the importance of partnerships between Taiwan and Japan on economic cooperation. In particular, the chip factory established in Kumamoto District, Taiwan, is one of the concrete examples of this cooperation.[4] It was emphasized that this investment of Taiwan contributed to Japan’s economic activities and strengthened the regional supply chain. This investment of Taiwan not only contributes to Japan’s economic activities, but also plays an important role in strengthening the regional supply chain. Such investments increase the economic interdependence between Taiwan and Japan. In addition, the necessity of cooperation on issues such as increasing resilience against cyberattacks and ensuring supply chain security was mentioned Furuya’s call to increase resilience against cyberattacks and ensure supply chain security is critical in today’s digitalized world. Such cooperation will allow them to build an infrastructure that is resistant not only to economic relations, but also to the security threats faced by the parties.
President Furuya’s statement that the reciprocal visits of the Taiwanese and Japanese peoples reached an all-time high last year shows how much the relations between the peoples have become stronger and closer.[5] Such reciprocal visits symbolize not only official relations but also increased cultural interactions. This increased interaction allows people to get to know each other better, engage in cultural exchanges, and further agree on common values. Such visits can be expected to increase trust between people and build a more solid diplomatic relationship in the long run.
The wish of Japanese middle and high school students to choose Taiwan for study trips abroad, which is among the future goals of Furuya, is an important step in strengthening cultural and educational ties. This could be a strategy aimed at promoting mutual interaction in the field of education and making Taiwan an important hub in education. With its modern educational infrastructure and advanced research facilities, Taiwan can offer a wealth of experience to students from Japan.
As a result, the steps taken at the Yushan Forum to strengthen the relations between Taiwan and Japan reveal the deepening cooperation of the parties in the economic, strategic and security fields. Industrial and technological cooperation between Taiwan and Japan holds great potential, especially in critical areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and energy. Such cooperation will also strengthen regional security and economic resilience. In addition, increasing cultural and educational ties will allow for deepening interaction between peoples and building a stronger diplomatic relationship in the long term.
[1]“2025 Yushan Forum underway, focused on New Southbound Policy”, Radio Taiwan INTL, https://en.rti.org.tw/news/view/id/2012614, (Date of Accession: 19.03.2025).
[2]“President Lai receives Japan delegation”, Taiwan Today, https://taiwantoday.tw/AMP/politics/top-news/267122/president-lai-receives-japan-delegation, (Date of Accession: 19.03.2025).
[3]“President Lai meets Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji”, Office of The President Republic of China (Taiwan), https://english.president.gov.tw/News/6922, (Date of Accession: 19.03.2025).
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
