A group of Japanese lawmakers from across party lines visited Taiwan's legislature and plans to push new laws deepening Japan-Taiwan ties — good news for Taipei, unwelcome in Beijing.

• Seven Japanese lawmakers from a cross-party group on peace in the Taiwan Strait met Taiwan's legislature after seeing President Lai Ching-te.
• Delegation head Kitamura Haruo said they will propose a Japanese "Taiwan Relations Act" and revise the existing Taiwan travel law, aiming for this autumn's parliamentary session.
• The talks centered on carrying out the late Shinzo Abe's "free and open Indo-Pacific" vision.
• Both sides are ramping up military spending fast — Taiwan is heading for 3.4% of its economy next year, and Japan has nearly doubled its defense budget.
• Taiwanese lawmakers called it the largest Japanese parliamentary delegation ever to visit their defense and foreign affairs committee.

Outlook: The proposed bills go to Japan's autumn session, where any move toward a formal legal framework with Taiwan would draw a sharp response from China.