Ukraine鈥檚 Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction at Keidanren Kaikan building in Tokyo, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. (Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool Photo via AP)
TOKYO 鈥� Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged his country鈥檚 long-term engagement in Ukraine鈥檚 reconstruction on Monday, calling it an investment in the future, as Japan stresses its commitment to supporting the war-torn country ahead of the two-year anniversary of Russia鈥檚 invasion.
In his keynote speech at a conference Japan co-organized with the Ukrainian government and business organizations, Kishida said Japan wants a long-term public-private partnership based on inclusivity, humanitarianism, technology and knowledge. More than 50 cooperation deals were signed by Japanese and Ukrainian government agencies and companies.
鈥淭he war in Ukraine is still going on at this very moment and the situation is not easy. The promotion of economic reconstruction, however, is not only an investment for the future of Ukraine but also investing in Japan and the whole globe,鈥� he said.
READ: Ukraine starts to rebuild towns and cities even as war rages on
Japan hopes the conference will build momentum for international support for Ukraine as the war drags on and attention has diverted to the situation in Gaza.
Kishida stressed the importance of investment across various industries and ensuring that the support caters to Ukraine鈥檚 needs.
Ukraine鈥檚 Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who heads headed his country鈥檚 delegation of more than 100 people, thanked Kishida and said the meeting 鈥渋s the new start of cooperation between the two countries.鈥�
鈥淯kraine is not just rebuilding, we are generating new rules of the game, new approaches,鈥� he said. All eyes are on Ukraine, and 鈥渄ictators and potential invaders鈥� are also turning their eyes to see how Russia鈥檚 violation of the international law is seen and how the world will react to it, he added.
About 300 people and 80 companies from the two countries were expected to attend.
The Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction is co-organized by the Japanese and Ukrainian governments, Japan鈥檚 powerful business organization Keidanren, and the Japan External Trade Organization, or JETRO.
The two sides issued a joint communique expressing Japan鈥檚 long-term support for helping Ukraine achieve economic stability. The two countries also noted the importance of maintaining tough sanctions against Russia.
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Japan also announced the start of talks toward revising a bilateral investment pact and easing of travel restrictions for Japanese business visitors to Ukraine.
The conference is largely about reconstruction and investment in Ukraine, but it鈥檚 also about Japan鈥檚 national security given Japan鈥檚 concerns about China鈥檚 increasingly assertive military actions in the region.
Kishida repeatedly said that 鈥淯kraine today could be East Asia tomorrow,鈥� and that it鈥檚 crucial for Japan to advocate its opposition to Russia鈥檚 invasion and to what it calls a one-sided change of the status quo by force.
鈥淚t is extremely important that we demonstrate our solidarity to Ukraine in our uniquely Japanese way,鈥� Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa told reporters Friday.
Japan鈥檚 $12.1 billion contribution to Ukraine over the past two years is mostly financial and humanitarian as its military equipment provisions are limited to non-lethal weapons. The help is dwarfed by the $111 billion the United States has provided in weapons, equipment and humanitarian assistance.
Japan鈥檚 government has chosen seven target areas 鈥� including removal of mines and debris; improvement of humanitarian and living conditions; farming; biochemical manufacturing; the digital and information industries; power and transport infrastructure; and anti-corruption measures.
Japan, in cooperation with other Group of Seven members, hopes to link the Tokyo conference to a separate Ukraine reconstruction conference to be held in Germany in June.