Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Ivaya, who made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital on Saturday, told reporters after his meeting with his host Andriy Shihiba that the new form of contact includes both bilateral information exchange and defense consultation.
Japan continues to stand by Ukraine in its efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace
– stated Ivaja at the joint press conference of the two ministers.
At the beginning of the meeting, which was also open to journalists, Andriy Sihiba thanked Japan for the help it has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion against it in February 2022. The two ministers criticized the march of North Korean troops in western Russia and their direct use in aggression.
This is extremely worrying
Ivaja stated.
The Japanese foreign minister emphasized that the participation of North Korean soldiers in the conflict in Ukraine is an “extremely serious development” from the point of view of the security of East Asia. According to Kiev, about 11,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in the Kursk region of Russia, where Ukrainian forces have been conducting an offensive since August.
The Japanese foreign minister visited Bucsa in Kyiv county, where Russian soldiers allegedly committed atrocities against civilians at the beginning of the war. Ivaya Takesi later met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
The Japanese Foreign Minister arrived by train from Poland, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. This was the first visit of the head of Japanese foreign affairs to Kyiv since Prime Minister Isiba Shigeru’s government took office.
Japan, along with the United States and other members of the G7 group of seven most advanced industrialized countries, has supported Ukraine and imposed economic sanctions on Russia since the beginning of the war. The last time he visited Kyiv was in January, in the person of Japanese Foreign Minister Joko Kamikawa. Isiba’s predecessor, Kisida Fumio, made an unannounced visit to Ukraine last March.
The cover image is an illustration. Cover image source: Getty Images
Source: www.portfolio.hu
