The General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC) announced on Aug. 8 that the 4th edition of Taiwan Plus, the largest Taiwanese cultural festival in Japan, will return to Tokyo under the theme of "Taiwan x Japan (台日一起)" in mid-September. Last year, the event attracted a total of 200,000 participants; this year, visitors can look forward to an incredibly diverse program.
The GACC hosted a press conference ahead of the festival led by their secretary-general Lee Hou-ching (李厚慶) and announced that the event will be held on Sept. 16 and 17 at Tokyo's Ueno Park, with more than 100 Taiwanese brands showcasing the latest and trendiest lifestyles of Taiwan through food, music, and design.
Those present at the press conference include Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Taiwan's Representative to Japan; Kei Sato, a member of the Japanese House of Representatives and Acting Director of the Youth Division of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and other distinguished guests.
Representative Hsieh said that last year, over the course of the two-day festival, approximately 200,000 visitors attended the event, setting a new record attendance. He looks forward to seeing more people at the festival this year.
Hsieh added that Japan and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic ties but the friendship has developed over the years, with both nations providing assistance to each other in times of need.
Referring to Taiwan as an old friend of Japan, Acting Director Kei Sato expressed his hope for more Japanese people to experience the charm of Taiwan through the festival, and in turn attract more people to visit, work or study in Taiwan.
GACC secretary-general Lee said in his speech that Taiwan and Japan enjoy a close bond of friendship, sharing fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and engaging in cultural exchanges. Organized by GACC, Taiwan Plus has been held since 2018, bringing Taiwanese food, music, and culture to Japan.