state visit
Japan’s Foreign Minister Hayashi makes a surprise visit to Ukraine
Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi (l) gives a press conference with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau in Warsaw before his surprise visit to Ukraine. photo
© Czarek Sokolowski/AP/dpa
Japan’s top diplomat was the last foreign minister from the G7 countries to travel to Ukraine. With the surprise visit, Japan reiterates its continued support for the attacked country.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi made a surprise visit to the Ukraine arrived. As the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced today, the unannounced visit is intended to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia. Japan, in line with the West, has imposed sanctions on Russia and supports Ukraine. However, the pacifist constitution of the world’s third largest economy does not allow Japan to supply weapons to Ukraine.
It is the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to Ukraine since Moscow began its war of invasion in February last year. Hayashi also plans to report on Japan’s plan to hold a conference to promote Ukraine’s economic reconstruction later this year or early next year at a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba today. Hayashi was accompanied by Japanese business representatives on his visit to Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said.
According to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, Hayashi was also expected to attend a ceremony for the deployment of Japanese cranes to clear unexploded bombs. He traveled to Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Poland earlier in the week to meet with his colleagues and heads of government.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida paid a surprise visit to Kiev in March before the G7 summit in Hiroshima. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj personally traveled to Hiroshima on the final day of the G7 summit. The G7 heads of state and government promised to support Ukraine in its defensive battle “for as long as necessary”.