On Monday, Japan vowed to provide $5.5 billion in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, virtually quadrupling the sum Tokyo had previously promised to Kyiv since Moscow invaded its neighbour almost a year ago, as reported by CNN.
Open international border
According to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, “Japan is in a position to lead the world’s efforts to support Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression and to defend a free and open international order based on the rule of law.”
Tokyo had earlier promised to send Kyiv $600 million in cash aid and $700 million in humanitarian aid, which would include food aid and medical supplies. Also, it joined other Western allies in harshly sanctioning Russia for its incursion.
At a speech last summer, Kishida warned that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow” and he repeated that sentiment on Monday.
War over islands
He claimed that Russia’s action against Ukraine was a challenge to the norms and values of the entire international community, not just a European issue.
He continued, noting North Korea’s expanding nuclear missile programme and “attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas,” that the security situation for Japan is at its “most severe” level since World War II.
Kishida did not provide details, but Tokyo and Beijing have been at war over islands that both countries claim in the East China Sea. Kishida and other Japanese leaders have repeatedly stated that the security of Japan depends critically on achieving peace across the Taiwan Strait.
Security threats
Kishida indicated late last year that Japan would be spending significantly more on its military and that Tokyo intended to buy long-range weapons to address security threats.
Along with hosting an online meeting of G7 leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, the first anniversary of Moscow’s invasion and before the yearly G7 summit in Hiroshima in May, Kishida also made this announcement on Monday.
As the location of an atomic attack during World War II and as a result of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the Japanese leader believed Hiroshima was a suitable location for the summit.
The world now confronts a genuine nuclear threat as a result of Russia’s activities, Kishida claimed. “It is crucial to make the truth about the atomic bombings known to everyone, including the G7 leaders, as the foundation for all initiatives aimed at nuclear disarmament.”
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Source: CNN
