Taiwan President Lai Ching‑te awards Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya Order of Brilliant Star

Taiwan President Lai Ching‑te presented the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon to Japanese Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Keiji Furuya, head of a cross‑party parliamentary group that promotes Taiwan‑Japan friendship. Lai praised Furuya for “decades of effort” to strengthen bilateral ties, noting his more than 30 visits to the island, advocacy for Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and work to have Taiwan recorded as a place of origin in Japan’s family‑registry system.

Beijing had earlier sanctioned Furuya, accusing him of “egregious moves” and alleged collusion with Taiwan‑independence forces; Furuya dismissed the sanctions as having no impact on him. The award ceremony took place at the Taiwanese presidential office while Furuya was in Taiwan as part of a delegation from Gifu Prefecture to promote economic exchanges.