Taipei, July 24 (CNA) Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) will head to Tokyo on July 31 on a three-day trip in part to strengthen his foreign policy credentials during his campaign for the presidency, according to Hou’s campaign office.
During the trip, the New Taipei mayor will meet with legislators and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association officials and do interviews with Japanese national broadcaster NHK and the Asahi Shimbun, his campaign said Monday.
Hou will have contacts with local Taiwanese and will visit the Tokyo Mazu Temple, which was built with funds raised by overseas Taiwanese.
He will also visit Hibiya Matsumotoro, a roughly 120-year-old restaurant that is now run by a descendant of Shokichi Umeya, a close friend of the father of the Republic of China and first leader of the KMT Sun Yat-sen (孫中山).
Hou, who will fly to Haneda Airport in Tokyo from Taipei Songshan Airport early in the morning on July 31, will be joined by John Feng (馮寄台), a former Taiwan representative to Japan, KMT think tank head Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), and Overseas Department head Chen I-hsin (陳以信).