Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) Taiwan and Japan have agreed to raise the annual quota for their reciprocal working holiday program to 5,000 per country per year, effective next month, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

Following Taiwan's efforts to negotiate with Japan to raise the ceiling, the numbers will increase as of Oct. 27, according to the ministry.

The Taiwan-Japan working holiday program came into force in June 2009, allowing an annual quota of 2,000 adults aged 18-30 from each country to visit the other for up to one year for work and travel.

Japan is a popular destination for young Taiwanese who hope to participate in a working holiday program, and applicants for the program always exceed the annual quota, the ministry said in a statement.

Japan's Interchange Association, which represents Japan's interests in Taiwan in the absence of bilateral diplomatic ties, also issued a statement to announce the new initiative and expressed hope "it will further promote youth exchanges and mutual understanding between Taiwan and Japan."

Taiwan has signed working holiday agreements with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Hungary, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.

A total of 128,603 Taiwanese young adults have taken advantage of the working holiday programs between 2004 and 2013, according to the ministry. 

文章來源: http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201409240035.aspx