Thank you Taiwan, photo from 29-Dec-2012

I have fond memory in my stay in Taiwan. I had been there only four times, on two business trips and two personal trips. Generally, their behavior to Japanese people are very good. I will say too good.

And that was solidly confirmed when earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident hit northeast Japan on 11-May-2011. Their donation to Japanese disaster was no.1 in the world. Population of Taiwan is about 22 million, less than one tenth of the U.S. When I looked at YouTube, huge TV program was set up to show support and call for donation to Japan after one week of the disaster. As I live in Kansai, I was not directly affected by the disaster, but whole of Japan was in distress in the period. I am grateful to American for their operation tomodachi, and grateful to other nations. But intensity of Taiwanese support to Japan could not be comparable to others.

Now on the topic. I found this plate in Arashiyama's local train station first in December 2011. This plate was still there in 29-Dec-2012. Arashiyama are popular tourist area in northwest Kyoto, and I hear a lot of conversation in Chinese there. I can't tell if they are mainland Chinese or Taiwanese, but I guess non-group tourists are mainly Taiwanese. I am glad that station master decided to put up this plate to show gratitude to Taiwanese people.