ニュース 2009/01/21 Next Minister of Foreign Affairs Hachiro meets with Taiwan medical association chief On January 21, the President of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan Shuh-Min Wu visited DPJ headquarters and called for understanding of Taiwan’s efforts to obtain observer status in the World Health Organisation (WHO). The meeting was attended by DPJ Next Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshio Hachiro, Next Minister of Defence Keiichiro Asao, Vice Director General of the International Department Shoichi Kondo, Next Vice Minister of Health, Welfare and Labour Tetsuji Nakayama, and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense in the House of Councillors Kazuya Shimba. President Wu said that with the necessity of taking prompt action to deal with infectious diseases increasing, participation in the WHO was a vital issue that impinged on the health and human rights of the people in Taiwan, and on behalf of the Foundation, asked for the DPJ’s support and cooperation in the run up to the next meeting of the World Health Assembly, due to take place in Geneva this May.