Japanese Foreign Minister arrives on a visit to Ukraine to give an important "signal" – Kyodo

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwai paid an unannounced visit to Ukraine on November 16. In Kyiv, where the diplomat arrived by train from Poland, he is scheduled to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and may also hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Iwai came to Kyiv to demonstrate Japan's support for Ukraine, which continues to fight Russian and, more recently, North Korean troops. The visit was reported by the Japanese newspaper Kyodo.

"Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwai paid an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Saturday for talks with officials, his ministry said, apparently to demonstrate Tokyo's commitment to Kyiv in its fight against Russian military aggression, which now includes North Korean troops," the report said.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry added that Takeshi Iwai traveled to Ukraine after visiting Peru, where he participated in a regional economic meeting.

The diplomat traveled to Kyiv by train from Poland. In the Ukrainian capital, he is scheduled to meet with Siberia. He also expects to hold talks with Zelenskyy.

Kyodo adds that the Japanese foreign minister traveled to Ukraine shortly after Donald Trump won the US presidential election, which raised doubts about the continued support for Ukraine from the leader of the Group of Seven. Trump himself has repeatedly criticized US financial support for Kyiv.

At the same time, the newspaper adds, Japan, a member of the G7, has consistently supported Ukraine, in particular by imposing sanctions on Russia and an export ban, as well as freezing Russian assets on its territory.

Kyodo reminds us that the Russian-Ukrainian war has now entered a new phase, as North Korean troops have joined the fighting, particularly in the Kursk region of Russia, on the Russian side.

In June of this year, Japan imposed sanctions on China for the first time because of Russia. It imposed trade restrictions on Chinese companies as part of a new round of sanctions against individuals and groups that support Russia's war against Ukraine. The sanctions also targeted companies in India, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

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