Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits Ukraine

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, February 24, 2023. via REUTERS - POOL

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in Kiev on Tuesday (March 21st) to express to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the solidarity of the G7, whose next summit Japan is hosting at the end of May. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Japan has aligned itself with Europe and the United States, imposed sanctions on Russia, and offered assistance to Kiev.

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With our correspondent in Tokyo, Frédéric Charles

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida travels to Ukraine as Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Moscow to renew China's support for Vladimir Putin. The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine has made Japan aware that what happens there can happen in Asia. Japan feels threatened by China and North Korea. And in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, Japan would be in the front line. The last Japanese island south of Okinawa is less than 100 kilometers from Taiwan.

The war in Ukraine forced Japan to increase its military spending by 60% over the next five years. To rethink its security policy in a more global way. Despite the constraints of its pacifist constitution.

The Japanese are shocked by the invasion of Ukraine. And have agreed to welcome Ukrainians in a country not very open to immigration and refugees.

A "historic site"

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Fumio Kishida is the first Japanese head of government to visit a war zone since the end of World War II. Japan provides significant economic aid to Ukraine, but no weapons, as the peaceful Constitution requires. It intends to play a major role in the financing and reconstruction of the country.

Ukraine hailed a "historic visit" by the Japanese prime minister, "a sign of solidarity" from Tokyo, after more than a year of Russian invasion of the country. "We are grateful to Japan for its strong support and contribution to our future victory," Emine Djeppar, Ukraine's first deputy foreign minister, said on Twitter.

► Read also: France and Japan want to strengthen their security partnership

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  • Ukraine
  • Japan
  • Fumio Kishida
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense