Taoyuan Mayor Chang San-Cheng is currently leading a delegation to Japan, where on August 7, he traveled to Miyagi Prefecture to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the cities of Natori and Iwanuma. The agreement aims to boost collaboration in tourism promotion and industrial development between the three cities. Mayor Chang noted that the MOU establishes a long-term framework for cooperation, fostering two-way tourism and economic exchange while laying the groundwork for a friendly and sustainable platform for international collaboration. He emphasized that the agreement marks the beginning of exciting new possibilities for city-to-city partnerships, particularly in areas such as industrial upgrading, technology sharing, and talent exchange.

The origins of this agreement trace back to February, when Natori Mayor Shiro Yamada visited Taoyuan to attend the 2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival. During that visit, Mayor Yamada warmly invited Mayor Chang to Japan and suggested formalizing the relationship with an MOU—an idea that has now come to fruition. Mayor Chang emphasized that this agreement lays a solid foundation for further deepening trilateral cooperation in tourism and economic exchange.

Following the signing ceremony, Mayor Chang joined a roundtable discussion with local leaders from across Miyagi Prefecture. Thirteen mayors and deputy mayors participated, including Shigeru Sugawara, Mayor of Kesennuma and Chair of the Miyagi Mayors Association. These meetings, along with previous engagements with Kagawa Governor Toyohito Ikeda and Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai, underscore the significance local officials place on Mayor Chang’s visit and highlight the fruitful exchanges between regions.