Japan and Ukraine on Tuesday signed an action plan to promote private-sector cooperation aimed at supporting Ukraine’s economic and industrial reconstruction. The signing came as Japan’s senior vice foreign and industry ministers visited Kyiv to discuss assistance for Ukraine’s recovery efforts. Ayano Kunimitsu of the Foreign Ministry and Kenji Yamada of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry held talks with Ukrainian officials including Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Economy, Environment and Agriculture Minister Oleksii Sobolev.
It was the first trip to Ukraine by Japanese political appointees under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration, although Takaichi has held phone discussions with acting president Zelensky and discussed the possible production of Ukrainian drones in Japan. Zelensky published a statement in December thanking Takaichi for Japan’s “decision to provide additional financial support to Ukraine next year. The total aid amounts to nearly $6 billion, which will strengthen our defense against Russian aggression.”
