Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je successfully wraps up trip to Japan

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je wrapped up his visit to Japan today. During his four-day tour, he received presidential-level treatment, and Taiwan''s de facto ambassador in Japan Frank Hsieh even gave him a score of 80 out of 100. But despite this, Ko''s standing in some internet polls did not improve and he was even ranked a firm third behind Han Kuo-yu in first place and President Tsai Ing-wen in second.Inspecting post-disaster reconstruction in Ishinomaki, a city in Japan, Ko admired the seamless cooperation between Japan’s local and central governments and sighed that it was not like this in Taiwan. Ko Wen-jeTaipei MayorEach country has its advantages and disadvantages. We should retain our strengths but we need to find a way to avoid our shortcomings. I think Taiwan’s civil servant system really needs to be rebuilt from scratch. During his tour, Ko was received by Japanese political figures with protocol reserved for presidents. Japan’s de facto ambassador in Taiwan, Mikio Numata, saw Ko off at the airport and he was warmly received in cities in Japan’s northeast. Japan’s media also gave Ko copious coverage. When asked to give himself a rating, Ko declined However, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in Japan, Frank Hsieh, gave Ko a good score on his behalf. Frank HsiehDe facto Japanese ambassador I’m here. I’ll bat for him. I’ve watched him in the past few days and I’ve also watched the local news. I think he should get 80 out of 100. But, although Ko ’s visit to Japan was successful, his approval ratings in internet polls did not increase and he was even ranked in third place, losing to President Tsai Ing-wen. When reporters asked him questions, Ko was unwilling to offer much comment. But after he returns to Taiwan, he is bound to face even more challenges.