Taiwan, Japan, and the US: Stronger Together

On the 25th anniversary of the September 21st earthquake, Gu Lian, director of the American Institute of Taiwan, and Kazuyuki Katayama, the Japanese representative of Taiwan, collaborated to record a commemorative video to remember Taiwan and the time of the performance.

The two stressed that Taiwan, Japan, and the US are stronger together in the wake of the September 21 earthquake. They highlighted the mutual aid between the three countries since the 921 earthquake, through the 2009 Morakot disaster, the 2011 Japan 311 earthquake, and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

A History of Cooperation

Gu Lian noted that 25 years ago, the 921 earthquake struck Nantou Chiji with a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale, causing a large number of casualties and damage across Taiwan. Katayama Kazuyuki said that Taiwan’s partners, including Japan and the US, have sent rescue teams, with Japan being the first country to send emergency rescue teams to directly communicate with Taiwan’s police and firefighters on the night of the earthquake.

Gu Lian also mentioned that when Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan in August 2009, the US Secretary of Defense authorized US Marine Corps C130 transport aircraft stationed in Japan and helicopters aboard the USS Denver amphibious dock transport ship to provide emergency equipment and supplies.

Kazuyuki Katayama highlighted that after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake in Japan, the disaster relief “Operation Friend” initiated by the US was one of the largest rescue operations in the world, and Taiwan was also one of the largest supporters of aid to Japan.

Unity in the Face of Adversity

Gu Lian noted that in support of the “friendly war,” the US has sent more than 24,000 troops, 189 aircraft, and 24 naval vessels to participate in 311 rescue operations. Katayama Kazuyuki said that when the COVID-19 epidemic began in 2020, Taiwan used the slogan “Taiwan can help” to share medical expertise with international partners, help control the epidemic, and provide valuable medical supplies to Japan.

Gu Lian also mentioned that during the outbreak, he was in Taiwan and saw how Taiwan helped the international community. Taiwan quickly established mask production capacity and became one of the world’s leading mask donors, including the US. More than 50 million masks were donated, and Japan and the US later donated vaccines in exchange for Taiwan’s aid.