On March 21, Prime Minister
KISHIDA Fumio visited Kyiv,Ukraine, to hold a summit withPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
President Zelenskyy said at a jointpress conference, “I am delighted thatthe visit took place when Japan holds
the G7 presidency and is a member of
the UN Security Council.”
ROMAN PILIPEY/GETTY IMAGESJAPAN CONTINUES TO
STAND WITH UKRAINETo demonstrate Japan’s ongoing support for Ukraine, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio visited the war-torncountry in March. As the G7 presidency this year, Japan will lead the way in creating a united front to restore
international peace and order and will continue to provide a wide range of assistance, taking advantage of its
experience and expertise.
“I very much hoped to visit Ukraine before the G7
Hiroshima Summit to speak in person with President
Zelenskyy and directly convey Japan’s solidarity andunwavering support for Ukraine,” said Prime Minister
KISHIDA Fumio at a joint press conference held
immediately after a summit during his visit to Kyiv,
Ukraine, on March 21. At the invitation of Prime
Minister Kishida, Ukrainian President VolodymyrZelenskyy made clear his intention to participate
online in the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May.
At the press conference, Prime Minister Kishidasaid, “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is anoutrageous act that shakes the very foundations ofthe international order. As the G7 presidency, Japan
has renewed its determination to exercise leadershipto fully defend the international order based on therule of law.” He also stated that the G7 leaders “willbe prepared to issue a united message” at the Summitin May.
Since Russia’s full-scale aggression began, Japan hassupported Ukraine in numerous ways. While there
are restrictions on the supply of equipment with thecapacity to kill or wound as stipulated by its “ThreePrinciples on Transfer of Defense Equipment andTechnology,” Japan has been providing Ukraine withbulletproof vests, helmets, drones, and so on. Japan
has also supplied equipment, including generators
to overcome the power shortages and broadcasting
equipment to enhance democracy in Ukraine.
Additionally, Japan is providing Ukraine withmine detection equipment and technical training,
thereby applying its experience in mine actions andreconstruction cooperation in conflict-affected areas.
In February, Japan announced roughly 5.5 billion U.S.
dollars of financial support to Ukraine; including
some 900 million dollars in humanitarian assistanceand assistance for recovery and reconstruction, Japan’s
Ukraine-related assistance totaled 7.1 billion dollars.
During his recent visit to the country, Prime Minister
Kishida announced an additional 470 million dollars
in bilateral grant aid in a holistic assistance package
which includes support to the energy sector and 30
million dollars for non-lethal defense equipment
assistance through NATO trust fund.
The Russia’s aggression has also caused tremendous
damage to agriculture in Ukraine, normally one of
the world’s largest grain-producing regions, leading
to an international food crisis. In response, Japanprocured Ukrainian sunflower and corn seeds todistribute them to the country’s smallholder farmers,
prioritizing women and youths. Recovering thecountry’s production capacity in agriculture—a key
Ukrainian industry—will help improve the global
food supply.
Meanwhile, local governments and privateorganizations throughout Japan have acceptedover 2,300 evacuees from Ukraine thus far. With
displacement becoming protracted, the Governmentof Japan decided in February to grant a one-year
extension of living-expense support to those“I deeply appreciate
Japanese government’s
humanitarian assistanceto Ukraine. My sisteralso
evacuated
toHiroshima a year ago
and I feel the warm
welcome and support ofthe city and the local
people,” said Khot’na
Anastasiya (right), a
Ukrainian residing inHiroshima.

Above: Ukraine continues to experience massive
power shortages due to Russian attacks on its power
plants. The Government of Japan has provided
generators to the country through Japan International
Cooperation Agency ( JICA) and United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees to help Ukrainians
in the bitter cold, and has provided transformer
equipment to restore power lines. JICA
Right: Cambodian personnel demonstrate how touse Japan’s latest mine detectors during a training
session for mine-clearing experts from the Ukrainian
government in anticipation of the country’s recoveryand reconstruction. Japan has cooperated withCambodia in eradicating landmines for more than 20years since the end of that country’s civil war. JICAUkrainian evacuees who have no relatives to rely uponin the country. Also, Prime Minister Kishida, during
a stop in Poland after his visit to Ukraine, announced
that Japan would provide ODA directly to Poland,
which has become a frontline base for humanitarian
aid to Ukraine, as a way to support the increasing
burden and vulnerability of its neighboring countries.
Khot’na Anastasiya, a Ukrainian woman whocame to Japan in 2002 and now lives in Hiroshima, isheartbroken by the devastation in her home country.
Her parents and younger brother still live there.
“More than anything, I want for peace. In Hiroshima,
peace education is taking root and children havea chance to listen to atomic bomb survivors, forexample, which I think is wonderful.”
The situation of the fight to restore justice remains
unpredictable. During Prime Minister Kishida’svisit, Japan and Ukraine upgraded their bilateralrelationship to a “special global partnership.” As
Prime Minister Kishida stated in Kyiv, Japan willcontinue supporting and working with Ukraine in away that is uniquely Japanese until peace returns tothat beautiful land.