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REUTERS/File Photo From left, Japanese national flag, Ukrainian national flag
The Yomiuri Shimbun
17:26 JST, June 8, 2024
The Japanese government intends to sign a bilateral document to strengthen its support for Ukraine soon as part of efforts to emphasize to the international community the importance of continued support, it has been learned.
The government is making final arrangements for Japan and Ukraine to reach an agreement when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ summit meeting that opens in Italy on Thursday.
Last July, the G7 leaders made a joint declaration pledging long-term cooperation to protect the security of Ukraine.
The specific details of the support they will provide are to be decided through bilateral talks.
So far, Ukraine has signed bilateral security agreements with all of the G7 countries except Japan and the United States.
Japan also intends to emphasize to the international community the importance of continued support for Ukraine through the launch of an initiative to strengthen its own involvement there.
The Japan-Ukraine document will include the provision that in the event of new aggression by Russia, either country may call for bilateral talks to be held within 24 hours so that assistance can be provided as quickly as possible, sources said.
It will also specify that the two countries will deepen cooperation on intelligence collection and analysis and accelerate negotiations to conclude an agreement that will allow for the exchange of classified information on security matters, they said.
Japan plans to pledge to continue supporting Ukraine long-term with its technological and other capabilities, the sources said, which is why the agreement is expected to be valid for 10 years.
Given constitutional restrictions, the government has focused on non-military areas, such as financial assistance and economic cooperation in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Ukraine, as what Kishida calls “Japan’s unique contribution.”
Japan’s total aid since the start of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has topped $12.1 billion (about ¥1.9 trillion).
The document will note these achievements and underline the intention to continue this cooperation. Specifically, it will refer to efforts to remove landmines and debris and to provide energy assistance, including electricity.
