《TAIPEI TIMES》 Speaker to lead group to Yonaguni

FERRY TRIPS: The delegation would be welcomed by Japanese Representative Keiji Furuya, who is to travel to Suao with You Si-kun on his return trip to Yilan

By Su Yung-yao and Jason Pan / Staff reporters

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Legislative Yuan Speaker You Si-kun is to lead a delegation to Yonaguni Island in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture early next month, sources said.

You is to depart on July 4 from Suao Harbor in Yilan County for Yonaguni, which is 110km from Taiwan.

A native of Yilan County, You has proposed a ferry service and direct shipping linking Suao Harbor and Yonaguni to boost tourism, economic ties and people-to-people interactions with Okinawa.

In Yonaguni, the delegation would be welcomed at a ceremony led by Japanese Representative Keiji Furuya, who is chairman of the Japan-Republic of China Diet Members’ Consultative Council.

The delegation is to stay for one day as a trial run to initiate a regular ferry route, the source said.

Furuya is to travel with You to Suao on the same night, the source said.

The goal of the trip is to boost tourism between the two sides and to bolster cultural links between Taiwan and Japan, You and his aides have said, adding that another aim is to ease geopolitical tensions.

Yonaguni is the closest part of Japan to Taiwan.

Beijing has reportedly made overtures to Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, who has resisted plans to move a US military base in the region.

Sources have said that Tamaki is likely to visit China some time next month.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES