Taiwan's new representative in Japan has expressed his intension to further promote ties with the country.

Lee Yi-yang, the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Monday. He was welcomed by Taiwanese living in Japan and others waiting for his arrival.

Lee spoke to reporters in Japanese. He said President Lai Ching-te places great importance on friendly relations with Japan. He added that he feels a deep sense of responsibility in the wake of the appointment.

Lee is 69 years old. He worked as a journalist and was a member of Taipei's assembly. He then took posts in the Democratic Progressive Party administrations.

Among them, he served as a minister of then-President Chen Shui-bian's administration and vice president of the Examination Yuan, which is in charge of public sector personnel affairs, when former President Tsai Ing-wen was in office.

Lee said Taiwan and Japan have always shared joys and sorrows, and helped each other actively. He noted that exchanges in many fields, such as the economy, semiconductors and culture, have reached their highest levels. He said he will work to maintain peace and stability in the region and promote the development of various fields between Taiwan and Japan.