Politics & Government

Japan, Ukraine Reach Agreement in Principle on Information Security Pact; JETRO Plans to Open Office in Kyiv in Oct.

Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy awards Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida with the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class, before their meeting during the United Nations General Assembly summit in New York City, U.S., September 23, 2024.

By Ayaka Kudo / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:38 JST, September 24, 2024

NEW YORK — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York on Monday and confirmed that Japan and Ukraine have reached an agreement in principle on an information security pact that will allow the two countries to exchange classified information on security matters.

“Japan once again pledges to proceed with support for Ukraine to the fullest extent,” Kishida said at the meeting, adding that the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) plans to open its Kyiv office in October.

Zelenskyy presented Kishida with the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise I degree of Ukraine, the country’s highest order, for his achievements in supporting Ukraine and leading efforts to impose sanctions against Russia.

Pool photo via Reuters
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, speaks as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, looks on during the High-Level Meeting to Launch the Friends of Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday.

Also on Monday, Kishida hosted the High-Level Meeting to Launch the Friends of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty with the member states that support the start of negotiations on the treaty to ban the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.

The meeting was attended by 12 countries, including the nuclear powers of the United States, Britain and France.

At the meeting, Kishida called for the need for “strong political will to start negotiations.” A document was released after the meeting that stated, “Achieving a world without nuclear weapons is a common goal of the international community,” and called for close cooperation for the immediate start of negotiations.