KUALA LUMPUR - The governments of Japan and Taiwan have agreed to revise their working holiday arrangement to permit a second visa issuance, aiming to promote further youth exchange between the two sides.

Under the working holiday system, based on bilateral agreements, young people aged 18 to 30 are allowed to stay in a partner country while working.

Employment is permitted primarily to supplement travel and living expenses, with the broader goal of promoting cultural understanding and mutual exchange.

Japan first introduced the program with Australia in 1980 and currently operates it with 31 countries and regions.

Before the latest revision, Japan had allowed second working holiday visas only with South Korea, Canada, and Slovakia. 

Taiwan has now become the fourth partner to adopt this measure.

Taiwan, for its part, maintains working holiday arrangements with 18 countries, including Japan.

More than 3,000 Taiwanese participants travel to Japan each year under the program.

The expansion is expected to further strengthen people-to-people ties between Japan and Taiwan.