Taiwan Mitsubishi Corporation !

by Kazu

Thanks to Mr. Kitazawa, the chief secretary of Hokkaido Sorachi, we had the honor to visit Mitsubishi Corporation (Taiwan) Ltd.

The CEO of Mitsubishi Corporation in Taiwan Mr. 鍾 維永 kindly gave us briefing on the current situation of Taiwan and the company.
His message can be seen at
http://www.mitsubishicorp.com/tw/ja/about/message.html

All the member of the delegation recognized the possibility of active exchange between Taiwan and Sorachi sub-prefectural area and the complicated relationship between the continent and Taiwan. The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between Taiwan and the continent has a possibility to develop the regions together but the risks on Taiwanese side to be swallowed by the gigantic economy of the continent can be

recognized by the people in Taiwan, particularly by the university students.
I will post the photos of demonstration by the students in the center part of Taipei City later !

Mr. 鍾 維永 kindly invited us to his condo in Taipei City and treated us to the feast. We could have the top of Taiwanese cuisine in his condo.
We really appreciated the hospitality extended by him and his wife and were moved by the supremacy of the culinary delicacy. Scrumptious dishes were superb ! I am so sorry for failing to take photos of the cuisine but it was private area.
 Have a nice weekend !

Taipei 101 !

by Kazu

We saw this building from the car on our way to Mitsubishi.
I've seen the new year fireworks event on this tower on the TV before.
Yes, this is Taipei 101.

-from Wikipedia-

Taipei 101 (Chinese: 臺北101 / 台北101), formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building ranked officially as the world's tallest from 2004 until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. In July 2011, the building was awarded LEED Platinum certification, the highest award in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and

became the tallest and largest green building in the world.^[5] Taipei 101 was designed by C.Y. Lee & partners and constructed primarily by KTRT Joint Venture.^[6][7][8] The construction was finished in 2004. The tower has served as an icon of modern Taiwan ever since its opening. Fireworks launched from Taipei 101 feature prominently in international New Year's Eve broadcasts and the structure appears frequently in travel literature and international media.

Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. The building was architecturally created as a symbol of the evolution of technology and Asian tradition (see Symbolism). Its postmodernist approach to style incorporates traditional design elements and gives them modern treatments. The tower is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. A multi-level shopping mall adjoining the tower houses hundreds of stores, restaurants and clubs.
Taipei 101 is owned by the TFCC and managed by the International division of Urban Retail Properties Corporation based in Chicago. The name originally planned for the building, Taipei World Financial Center, until 2003, was derived from the name of the owner. The original name in Chinese was literally, Taipei International Financial Center (Chinese: 臺北國際金融中心).

by Kazu

It was a pity that we could not take time to enter the building but this was our business jaunt. We had to collect enough information for the members of Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taipei Frienship Association.  

We passed by the government building of Taipei City on the way.
All the power and vigor of the city is under control of the government.
I was wondering if all the building of Taiwan is designed based on the theory of Feng Shui or not.

I've never seen Burge Khalifa in Dubai but the distance to the top of this building from the ground is in different dimension, I thought.

Mr. Takebe and Mr. Yamane were so satisfied with the visit and the opportunities to meet the top brasses in Taipei and New Taipei City. Other members of this delegation ? Of course, they also enjoyed amply their visit to Taiwan.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 3 !

by Kazu

After the ceremony to offer the flowers to the statue of Mr. Chiang Kai-shek and his soul, we went through the museum with the curator of the museum.
This presidential automobile is for the head of the nation. Needless to say, it is barrage-proof;)

Mr. Chiang Kai-shek knew amply the bad and good aspect of Japanese nation.
During World War Ⅱ, the Chinese communists kept shooting at the backside of Mr. Chiang Kai-shek's army.  

The winners in the war was Mr. Chiang Kai-shek and his wife with her sister but now, the communists and the adjusted rule the continent instead of Mr. Chiang Kai-shek and his wife.

The wife of Mr. Chiang Kai-shek Mrs. Son Meiri delivered their best speech to the people in the United States just before the World War Ⅱ and that ignited the public opinion of the United States to enter the war.

The able leader always be accompanied by the able and beautiful female.

 It is natural but it is the first time for me to see this photo.

 I heard that Mr. Chiang Kai-shek was eager to go back to the mainland of China but I thought it was too dangerous for him.

 After the World War . the Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Shigeru YOSHIDA visited Mr. Chiang Kai-shek. I've never seen this photo before.

This is the guest room in the former official residence for Mr. Early Birds.

To be continued.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 2 !

by Kazu

Before the ceremony in Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the summary of the procedure was explained by the curator.
To be honest, the president of Hokkaido Sorachi Japan-Taiwan Friendship Association Mr. Tajima did not bring his jacket for the excursion on that day.

 Usually, all the visitors can look up the statue of Mr. Chiang Kai-shek from this angle.

But for the ceremony in that we offered the flowers to the spirit of  Mr. Chiang Kai-shek and his fellows, the red-carpet area was limited off by the honor guards and we stood on the line in front of the statue.

 Mr. Tajima was offered the use of Mr. Igarashi's jacket for the ceremony.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the curator announced the start and the purpose.

 The honor guards were beside the flowers to the statue.

A couple of honor guards with rifles were on the stage.

 One of the honor guard took off the flowers from the stand.

He handed the flowers to Mr. Tajima.

Mr. Tajima pay courtesy to the statue and the soul of Mr. Chiang Kai-shek.

Mr. Tajima handed the flowers to the other honor guard.

 The honor guard set the flowers on the stand again.

At the end of the ceremony,  the curator announced to wrap up the ritual and thank us for the offer of flowers.
All the delegation members were so impressed and satisfied with the honor of being the protagonists of the ceremony and really appreciated the hospitality of Taiwanese Government.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 1 !

by Kazu

The time has come !
We arrived at The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (traditional Chinese: 中正紀念堂; simplified Chinese: 中正纪念堂).

 -from Wikipedia-
It is a famous monument, landmark and tourist attraction erected in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China. It is located in Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Republic of China (ROC).

The monument, surrounded by a park, stands at the east end of Memorial Hall Square. The structure is framed on the north and south by the National Theater and National Concert Hall.

 by Kazu again

So many citizens and visitors were on the premises of

This is the National Theater.
One thousand and six hundred Panda dolls were cluttered at the center of the park.

 This is the National Concert Hall

Can you find some black bears in the panda dolls ?

Just before the ceremony to present a bouquet to the statue of Chiang Kai-shek, we were attracted by the pandas in the park.

It took a little bit to find the entrance to the hall but these pandas were worthwhile even in the tough business jaunt.

The ceremony will start soon !