Director General of Aomori Prefecture Tourism and International Affairs Strategy Bureau Yoshinori Akita visited Taichung City Government today (12th), and he was welcomed by Deputy Mayor Linghu on behalf of Mayor Shiow-yen Lu. According to Deputy Mayor Linghu, as cities continue to evolve, Taichung City must learn and exchange experiences with other cities as well. Taichung cherishes the friendship with Aomori Prefecture, and it is hoped that both regions can engage in more interactions in terms of tourism, education, culture, economy, and trade.

Deputy Mayor Linghu met with Yoshinori Akita in the company of Taichung City Government Tourism Office Director-General Hsiao-chi Lin, where both parties shared opinions in regards to bilateral cooperation between Taichung City and Aomori Prefecture. They also exchanged souvenirs with each other.

According to Deputy Mayor Linghu, Taichung holds a close relationship with Aomori Prefecture, and Director General Akita plays a crucial role in offering assistance to Taichung City, for which he is extremely grateful. At the same time, he also thanked Aomori Prefecture for enthusiastically participating in the Central Taiwan Lantern Festival, showcasing large lantern exhibits and commemorative lantern exhibits etc. that have proven to be very popular. The exhibits helped to enrich the already diverse content of the lantern festival.

Deputy Mayor Linghu pointed out that Aomori Prefecture is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island Honshu, and it is endowed with picturesque scenery and abundant resources, particularly the renowned Aomori apples. In recent years, Hirakawa City in Aomori Prefecture has engaged in close interactions with Taichung City in areas such as tourism, agriculture, industry, commerce, education, and culture. It is believed that such a relationship will bring about positive benefits for Taichung City and Aomori Prefecture.

Director General Akita commented that he has visited Taichung on numerous occasions, and he is very fond of the city. This year, Mayor of Hirakawa City in Aomori Prefecture Nagao Tadayuki will lead an entourage of 20 guests to attend the Central Taiwan Lantern Festival. As of July 17 this year, EVA AIR will operate regular flights from Taoyuan to Aomori directly on every Wednesday and Saturday to facilitate tourists in traveling between Taiwan and Japan. In the future, he will strive to reinforce bilateral exchanges by introducing Taiwan to the citizens of Aomori, thereby attracting more visitors to Taiwan.

Director General Akita also mentioned that in regards to the commencing of direct flights from Taoyuan to Aomori by EVA AIR, Aomori Prefecture Governor Shingo Mimura hopes not only to boost bilateral tourism exchanges but also strengthen multifaceted interactions in culture, sports, and economy.

According to Taichung City Government Tourism Office Director-General Hsiao-chi Lin, the office has held very close ties with Aomori Prefecture in the past, forging an outstand friendship between the 2 regions. In the future, it is hoped that Aomori Prefecture will continue to offer advice to Taichung City, such as its successful experience in combining agriculture with tourism. In terms of tourism, it is hoped that Taichung City will be introduced to the citizens of Aomori Prefecture so that more Japanese tourists will be able to appreciate the scenic destinations in Taichung City and make it their first destination of choice when visiting Taiwan.

In addition, Deputy Mayor Linghu indicated that Mayor Shiow-yen Lu has focused on the 3 major goals of “Stimulating Economy, Cleaning up Air, Promoting Culture and Education” to build a magnificent, affluent and influential Taichung City. Meanwhile, it is imperative to make Taichung a more international metropolis; as a former diplomat, he expects to contribute his skills in fostering more international opportunities for Taichung.