[3][4][5] In August 2022, Kihara was part of an unofficial Japanese delegation to Taiwan which met with Taiwanese officials, Premier Su Tseng-chang, and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

[6] An agreement was reached between the delegation and the Taiwanese government, to hold talks over evacuation plans for the 20,000 Japanese citizens living in Taiwan, in the event of a Chinese invasion.

In the war game, Kihara played the role of Japan's defense minister and proposed using "counterattack capabilities" against China to resist the invasion.

[7] Kihara announced on September 15, 2023 that he resigned as secretary general of cross-party group dedicated to enhancing Japan–Taiwan relations, in order to devote himself to his new duties.

[14] In a series of bilateral, trilateral, and quadrilateral talks Kihara alongside his counterparts reaffirmed commitments to maintaining a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.