Japan sends planeload of defense equipment to Ukraine

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:52 JST, March 9, 2022

The government dispatched an Air Self-Defense Force KC-767 transport aircraft to Poland on Tuesday night, to provide bulletproof vests and other SDF equipment to Ukraine.

To support the country, which has been engaged in a battle against invading Russian forces, the provision of defense equipment was officially approved at National Security Council ministerial meetings earlier on the day.

The equipment included bulletproof vests, helmets and cold-weather clothing.

The operational guidelines for the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology were revised to allow the provision of bulletproof vests.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky signed related documents at the Foreign Ministry building.

“We will do whatever we can to support Ukraine,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference on Tuesday.