Sanae Takayuki Thanks World Leaders but Omits Lai Qingde — Japanese Netizens React Angrily: Why Ignore Taiwan?

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan, on the 28th, causing severe damage including road collapses and the explosion and collapse of a large shopping mall, resulting in multiple casualties. The Taiwanese government immediately expressed condolences and prepared search-and-rescue support. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a disaster relief donation account, and President Lai Qingde personally donated 200,000 yen.

On July 30, Prime Minister Sanae Takayuki posted on X, expressing gratitude to global leaders for their messages of solidarity following the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto earthquake. She stated, 'I sincerely thank people around the world, including leaders from many countries, for their warm condolences and messages of solidarity.'

At the end of her post, she tagged several leaders: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. However, President Lai Qingde of Taiwan was not mentioned.

Japanese netizens quickly responded, with one user replying, 'You forgot President Lai Qingde!' Others commented, 'Seriously, this is extremely rude,' and 'He’s precisely the one you shouldn’t have overlooked.'

Some users emphasized, 'Why ignore Taiwan’s relief cooperation?' and noted, 'Messages from leaders like Meloni and Lai Qingde especially conveyed friendship and trust toward Japan.'

Despite Taiwan’s swift and tangible support, its exclusion from the official acknowledgment has sparked debate over diplomatic sensitivities. Public sentiment in Japan appears to favor stronger recognition of Taiwan’s humanitarian role, highlighting a gap between official protocol and public perception.