The Taiwan-Japan Technical Cooperation Program (TCP) was started in 1960. Following the severing of diplomatic ties between the ROC and Japan, the program has been continued through the unofficial Association of East Asian Relations of Taiwan (recently renamed Taiwan-Japan Relations Association) and the Japan Exchange Association (recently renamed the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association).
The program includes the dispatching of Taiwan technicians to Japan for short-term research or study, and the inviting of Japanese experts to Taiwan to conduct field instruction or deliver lectures on special topics.
In April 2000, funding from the Japanese overseas aid program was discontinued as Taiwan’s economy had surpassed a certain level of development. Since that time, the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Economic Affairs, has provided funding to continue implementing the program.
Since 2003, the Economic Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan has engaged in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Center, with the center recommending suitable Japanese training institutions and experts to participate in the TCP.
As of the end of 2019, the MOEA had dispatched a total of 6,821 technicians to Japan and invited 2,582 Japanese experts to Taiwan under the TCP. The program has been effective in helping improve Taiwan’s talent training, industry policy and technical standards. With more and more avenues for the various Taiwan government ministries and agencies to invite Japanese experts to Taiwan for instruction and knowledge-sharing, as well as because of budget cuts in recent years, the TCP program no longer includes this element as of the start of 2019.
In 2020, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible to send personnel to Japan for study, so the program was temporarily changed to online format, with a total of 21 people taking part in four study projects, arranged independently or through the Japan International Cooperation Center, during the year.