On January 17, 2025, Minister Kuo conferred the Medal of Economic Contribution upon Mr. Hirohide Hirai, the former Vice Minister for International Affairs at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The honor was in recognition of his pivotal role in strengthening semiconductor cooperation and industrial investment between Taiwan and Japan.

During Mr. Hirai's tenure at METI, he played a crucial role in facilitating TSMC's investment in Japan, particularly in garnering government backing for TSMC's Kumamoto fab, and thus establishing a landmark in Taiwan-Japan economic collaboration. Minister Kuo noted that this investment has catalyzed increasing demand for and cooperation on semiconductors, AI, and digital transformation, and further strengthened bilateral industrial ties.

Mr. Hirai, currently serving as an executive director at Hitachi, Ltd., shared his endeavors between 2020 and 2021 in securing Japanese government subsidies and support to attract TSMC's investment. He also expressed support for Minister Kuo's proposal to strengthen bilateral cooperation on semiconductor supply chain in Kyushu.

The award acknowledges Mr. Hirai's contributions to strengthening industrial partnerships between Taiwan and Japan, thereby paving the way for deeper cooperation in next-generation technologies and global supply chain resilience.