Representative Isabel Allende’s longstanding friendship with Japan

Representative Isabel Allende (PS) stated that her main purpose in traveling to Japan was to further improve the ties between the two nations. She shared her comments on this topic at a roundtable on current Japanese issues, which was organized by the Library of Congress.

She spoke to Asia-Pacific Project director, Cristián Toloza, and, Deborah Cassis, Asia-Pacific Congressional Research Service analyst, about her experiences with Japan. Allende also addressed the opportunities that are now present due to the signing of the recent Free Trade Agreement with Japan.

The congresswoman’s dealings with Japan date back to 2003, while serving as President of the Chamber of Deputies. She was involved in an interparliamentary conference with Representative Hidenao Nakagawa, who was a major proponent of the FTA and also a close advisor to former Prime Minister Koizumi.

Allende also recalled her inviting Nakagawa, as head of a visiting Japanese congressional delegation, to the Antarctic.

Rep. Allende currently serves as president of the Japan-Chile Friendship Parliamentarians’ Union and will be traveling to Japan with the presidential delegation, which will commemorate 110 years of bilateral relations between the two nations.