Govt to Work with Private Sector on Ukraine Reconstruction

Jiji Press

16:00 JST, June 20, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japan will enhance cooperation between the public and private sectors in supporting Ukraine’s economic reconstruction.

At a meeting Monday, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara asked relevant government ministries and agencies to draw up with private-sector firms concrete reconstruction plans particularly for the energy, water and hygiene sectors as well as removal of land mines in the Russian aggression-battered Eastern European nation.

“We will discuss and implement support measures by accurately understanding Ukrainian demands and local conditions,” Kihara said.

Then he noted that a “roundtable meeting” of Japanese and Ukrainian government officials and representatives from about 100 companies will be held on the sidelines of an international conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction starting in London on Wednesday.

Also on Monday, Japanese reconstruction minister Hiromichi Watanabe and Ukraine’s visiting deputy prime minister for restoration Oleksandr Kubrakov signed a pact to share knowhow on rebuilding infrastructure and communities that Japan learned through reconstruction efforts after the devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. They also agreed to set up a liaison channel.

After the signing at the reconstruction agency, Kubrakov said his country will utilize Japan’s unique knowledge and experiences to carry out reconstruction with less time and money.