Japanese ex-PM in Taiwan to pay respects to Lee

Former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori led a delegation from Japan to pay tribute to the late former Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui at the Taipei Guest House on Sunday.

Mori visited the memorial to Lee at the historic state house built by the Japanese government during the colonial era in 1899.

Prior to the tribute, the Japanese delegation met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

Mori conveyed a personal message from current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the people of Taiwan.

"We also pray for his soul and we are also grateful to his life-long contributions in the Taiwan-Japan relations. For this we express our heartfelt gratitude and respect. Prime Minister Abe commissioned me to personally let you and the Taiwan society know," Mori said.

The delegation traveled back to Japan on the same day due to Mori's medical needs as a diabetic.