Lai awards key Japan ally with Brilliant Star order

UNFLAPPABLE: Furuya said Beijing’s sanctions had no impact on him, and that they exemplified China’s use of coercive measures on those who support Taiwan President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday awarded a veteran pro-Taiwan Japanese lawmaker a government honor in recognition of his decades-long efforts to promote closer Taiwan-Japan relations. Lai presented Japanese Representative Keiji Furuya, head of the Japan-Taiwan Diet Members’ Consultative Council, with the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon at the Presidential Office in recognition of his contributions to enhancing bilateral ties. In his address, Lai praised Furuya, a senior member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party who has served in the Japanese House of Representatives since 1990, as a driving force behind friendly rel