Mine Removal Gear Training Provided for Ukraine Govt

Jiji Press

17:32 JST, January 21, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The government has provided training on Japanese-made land mine detectors for Ukrainian officials in charge of clearing Russian mines and unexploded bombs from Ukrainian territory, officials said.

Japan will initially provide four land mine detectors on a trial basis for use in Ukraine, while planning to offer more depending on demand, the officials said.

The training was conducted from Sunday through Friday in Cambodia through cooperation with the Cambodian government, long supported by Japan in its mine sweeping, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Eight officials from the Ukrainian state emergency service learned ways to use cutting-edge detectors with metal-detecting sensors and underground radar. They also observed the clearing of land mines in a minefield by Cambodian officials.

According to the Ukrainian government, 160,000 square kilometers, or 25% of the country, is contaminated with land mines and unexploded bombs, forcing some five million people to live at risk from explosives. Nearly 500 people have been killed or injured by such weapons.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen, agreed to support mine removal in Ukraine when they met in Phnom Penh in November.