It was revealed that the Ministry of Defense has stationed a serving official at the Taipei office of the “Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association,” which serves as a liaison with Taiwan. Japan and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, and until now, a retired Self-Defense Force officer has been stationed there. Amid growing concerns about a “Taiwan contingency,” the Japanese government aims to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan and enhance its information-gathering capabilities. There are no official diplomatic ties between Japan and Taiwan. Instead, the Taipei office functions as Ja…