TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) embarked on a journey to Japan on Friday (April 11), seeking to explore the architecture and operational efficiency of prominent sports domes. Departing from Songshan Airport (松山機場), Hou is scheduled to reach Tokyo's Haneda Airport (羽田機場) by midday, beginning his several-day excursion.
The mayor plans to examine the Tokyo Dome (東京巨蛋) and Belluna Dome (西武巨蛋), with emphasis on venue planning, business models, and versatile applications. He aims to incorporate these Japanese facilities' design strengths into Taiwan's baseball scene, envisioning a New Taipei dome that melds professional sports excellence with commercial vibrancy.
Moreover, Hou will tour Social Welfare Corporation Zenkoukai (善光會) to examine cutting-edge methods of merging elder care with technological solutions, tackling issues posed by an aging population. New Taipei City and Kanagawa Prefecture (神奈川縣) have enjoyed robust partnership throughout the years, having formalized cooperation agreements in fields including firefighting and education.
Accompanying Hou on this diplomatic mission are key officials including Deputy Secretary-General Ke Ching-chung (柯慶忠), Health Department Director Chen Jun-chiu (陳潤秋), Sports Department Director Hung Yu-ling (洪玉玲), and Fire Department Director Chen Chung-yueh (陳崇岳).