Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday for a surprise trip. Tokyo continued to support Ukraine after Russia invaded the country last year. It is an unusual visit by a Japanese leader. It comes just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping went to Ukraine, showing how the war in eastern Europe has changed international diplomacy as countries line up behind rival parties.
Kishida, who holds the G-7 presidency this year, is expected to convey “his respect for the courage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people standing up to defend their homeland,” Japan’s foreign ministry said in a statement. They added he would also extend the group’s solidarity.
He will meet with Zelenskyy, an influential figure in the country’s leadership. He will likely discuss Japanese support for the reconstruction of Ukraine, which has been under attack by Russian forces since last year.
In December, Kishida unveiled Japan’s most significant military build-up in decades, committing to double defense spending to 2% of GDP within five years. The move, encouraged by the United States, aims to reduce Japan’s reliance on China and boost its security.
The invasion by Russia of Ukraine has stoked fears in Japan that its territorial dispute with Beijing may soon become a war as China’s military continues to increase its military capacity and escalate tensions around self-ruled Taiwan, which the government claims as part of its territory. The prime minister has warned of the threat, and in December, he announced Japan’s most significant defense shake-up since World War Two, to double spending to 2.8% of GDP by 2027.
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Despite his concerns, the country’s constitution restricts Japan’s ability to deploy its military force to defensive measures. That has prompted Tokyo to offer limited aid in the form of non-combative military equipment and humanitarian supplies.
He has also been keen to demonstrate Japan’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion and is reportedly considering inviting Zelenskyy to attend a G-7 summit that Kishida will chair next month in Hiroshima, devastated by a US atomic bomb in 1945.
Kishida’s trip to Ukraine is the first by a Japanese leader since the Russian invasion. It follows a series of high-profile diplomatic successes for Japan, which has taken a unified approach in imposing sanctions on Moscow and supporting Ukraine.
His meeting with Zelenskyy is expected to focus on rebuilding Ukraine, which has suffered an economic and social crisis due to Russia’s actions, according to a statement by the foreign ministry.
Domestic and international audiences have pressured the Japanese prime minister to visit Ukraine after the invasion. His visit on Tuesday marks a major diplomatic step ahead of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in May, which he will chair. His arrival in Kyiv came just hours after he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also scheduled to attend the summit.
