TOKYO -- Visits to Taiwan by Japanese lawmakers are picking up as the two sides grapple with the absence of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of the strongest advocates of closer cooperation, after his death this month.
"It's rare for lawmakers to visit Taiwan for security purposes," said Shigeru Ishiba, a former secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on Wednesday. "We want to gain knowledge on the ground," he said.
