As Japan and Ukraine mark over three decades of diplomatic relations, the partnership between the two nations has grown significantly, particularly in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Since the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, seven telephone conversations between the leaders of Japan and Ukraine, and previous Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Ukraine in March 2023, have effectively upgraded the mutual relationship to a special global partnership.

The Japan-Ukraine Conference, the Foreign Ministers’ Statement on North Korea-Russia Cooperation, the Japan-Ukraine Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (September 23, 2024), the Japan-Ukraine Summit (September 23, 2024), and the two countries’ Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Conversation (September 10, 2024) have been important diplomatic events in their relations in recent years.

In recent months, the then-Japanese Prime Minister and the Ukrainian President agreed on an information security treaty in New York in September.

After Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took office last month, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya visited Ukraine in November 2024. Along with shared concerns about military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, the two countries’ agreement on high-level bilateral foreign and defense talks and strengthening security information sharing between the two countries is another important step in strengthening relations.

Key variables in strengthening relations

Since 2014, Japan has supported Ukraine in several key areas: economic support, mutual aid and cooperation with international organizations, financial and humanitarian assistance, and high-level visits, but Tokyo has not taken a hardline anti-Moscow stance and has also considered collaboration with Russia in economic and security areas.

The outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has triggered a widespread anti-Russian stance in Japan. In 2022, Japan announced punitive sanctions against Russia and expanded its commitment to Ukraine.

In March 2023, former Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio (concurrent with the Xi-Putin meeting) became the first Japanese leader to visit a conflict zone (Ukraine) since World War II.

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© New Eastern Outlook