A senior delegation from Japan's Ishin party told Taiwan's government the two sides should work more closely on defense and economic security — a friendly signal for Taiwan, and an unwelcome one for Beijing.

• Ishin leader Nobuyuki Baba backed the idea that "a crisis for Taiwan is a crisis for Japan," meeting Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung in Taipei.
• This is Ishin's first big delegation since it joined the ruling coalition with the LDP last October, so the visit carries government weight.
• Both sides pointed to a worsening security picture in the region and Japan's push to build up its own defenses.
• Taiwan floated joint work on AI, chips, aerospace, and energy, aiming at supply chains that do not run through China.
• The 13-member group included lawmakers from both houses of Japan's parliament.

Outlook: Expect more Taiwan-Japan cooperation talk on chips and defense, and a sharp protest from Beijing.