Taichung mayor visits Japan to study dome stadiums

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) set off on an exciting six-day journey to Japan on Monday (Feb. 24). Her mission is to explore the renowned dome stadiums of Japan, gathering valuable insights to expedite the construction of Taichung's own dome stadium before her term concludes.

Lu said that her trip includes Sapporo (札幌), Nagoya (名古屋), and Tokyo (東京), emphasizing the importance of learning from Japan's diverse dome functionalities, operational methods, and financial planning. She expressed her expectation that the city government plans to build a facility capable of hosting large international events and optimize the development by applying the knowledge and experiences gained from this trip.

Despite the trip's brief duration, Lu has outlined several key objectives, including conducting city diplomacy. She highlighted the significance of such diplomatic efforts for a special municipality, noting that numerous Japanese groups and political figures have visited Taichung in recent years to foster deeper exchanges.

Asked by reporter questions regarding her potential role in the next Kuomintang Chariman's election and her participation in the Presidential election in 2028, Lu responded that the visit focuses on city diplomacy, urging the public to view the trip with a level-headed perspective and a calm mind.

She explained that visiting Japan, one of the significant friendly nations for Taiwan has been part of her prime plans since entering the office but was plagued by the pandemic and busyness of municipal affairs afterward, which has to be postponed. Lu's trip to Japan will be held until March. 1, marking her first visit to the country since assuming Taichung's Mayor in 2018.