Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Saturday, where he met with his counterpart and conveyed Japan's continued support for Kyiv while criticizing North Korea's dispatch of troops for Russia's war against its neighbor, according to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo.
Iwaya’s unannounced trip comes amid growing fears over the conflict’s expansion, with the top Japanese diplomat calling the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific "inseparable."
The foreign minister, who took up his post last month, conveyed “serious concerns” to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha about the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including Pyongyang's decision to deploy more than 10,000 troops to Russia for combat operations against Ukrainian forces, the Foreign Ministry said.
"The recent developments in military cooperation between Russia and North Korea will not only lead to a further deterioration of the situation in Ukraine, but also have a significant impact on the security of the region surrounding our country, and we are deeply concerned about this," Iwaya said following the meetings.
On this front, the two countries also agreed to strengthen intelligence-sharing on security issues, as well as continued high-level dialogue among foreign and defense officials.
Iwaya also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, telling him that "Japan stands with Ukraine" in its bid to beat back Russian invaders — and that this position remains unchanged.
Tokyo and other Ukrainian partners are watching closely how the direction of the war unfolds following the Nov. 5 election of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who is due to take office on Jan. 20.
Trump has criticized the financial and weapons support the U.S. provides Ukraine, frequently stating that he will be able to end the war in a single day — although he has not offered details about how he would do so.
Asked about Trump's potential impact on the conflict, Iwaya stressed the importance of "closely" communicating with the incoming U.S. administration "on various policy issues."
Tokyo has provided Kyiv with billions of dollars in aid, while sending nonlethal defense gear to Kyiv.
Japan has also been among the most vociferous supporters of Ukraine following Moscow’s Feb. 22, 2022, invasion of its neighbor, with former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida repeatedly stressing the importance of beating back aggression and noting that “Ukraine today could be East Asia tomorrow."
Iwaya said during his meeting with his counterpart in Kyiv that "our stance remains unchanged that Japan will stand side by side with Ukraine."
Tokyo last sent its top diplomat to the war-torn country in January, when then-Foreign Minister Yoko Kakmikawa, Iwaya’s predecessor, made an unannounced visit.
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