Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an met with Japanese ruling party officials, including former Prime Minister Taro Aso, in Tokyo on Wednesday in his first visit to Japan since assuming office in 2022.
Chiang met Aso, vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party, and LDP Youth Division Director Takako Suzuki at the party's headquarters.
The mayor asked Aso to promote cooperation between Taipei and Japanese cities, according to the Taipei city government.
Chiang invited Aso and others to the World Masters Games in Taipei and New Taipei City next year.
Suzuki told the mayor that people-to-people exchanges are important between Japan and Taiwan.
After the meeting, Chiang told reporters that he was glad to be able to interact with Aso and the LDP's Youth Division, and that they have a strong, deep friendship.
Chiang is a great-grandson of Chiang Kai-shek, the first president of Taiwan, and a rising star in the Kuomintang, the largest opposition party. He became the youngest ever mayor of Taipei, a position viewed as a stepping stone for becoming president, at the age of 43 in December 2022.
During his stay in Japan through Saturday, Chiang is set to deliver a speech at an international conference hosted by the Tokyo metropolitan government and hold talks with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and a group of Japanese lawmakers promoting ties with Taiwan.