A visiting Japanese delegation reassured Taiwan that Tokyo's position on the island stays the same as Xi Jinping prepares to travel to the United States — reassuring for Taipei, unwelcome for Beijing.

• Japan Innovation Party leader Nobuyuki Baba told President Lai Ching-te that Japan still wants Taiwan issues settled through talks, and that stance will not change.
• The visit lands just before Xi's trip to Washington, with China holding a hard line on Taiwan and the US saying its Taiwan policy is unchanged.
• Lai pointed to the party's push for stronger Japanese defense and its platform listing Taiwan as a partner sharing the same values.
• Business ties are the other half of the story: Taiwanese investment in Japan hit a record above $5 billion in 2024, led by chip cooperation and TSMC.
• Lai wants Taiwan firms to join Japan's new strategic industry cluster plan covering AI, semiconductors, quantum and aerospace, building supply chains that bypass China.

Outlook: Expect Taipei to keep courting Japan's incoming coalition on chips and defense while watching what Xi and Washington say about Taiwan this month.