Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui gave his first speech on the Diet premises on Wednesday, conveying a message about Taiwan's democratization and criticizing the current government of Taiwan for becoming too powerful.
Lee, 92, is in Japan on his seventh visit since he left office in 2000 but it was his first time to give a lecture at a building of the Diet.
About 400 parliamentarians from the ruling and opposition parties, including education minister Hakubun Shimomura, attended. Political observers say speaking before lawmakers, including an incumbent minister, could irritate China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province.