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Japan’s Prime Minister Becomes Last G7 Leader to Visit Ukraine


Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Tuesday to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, becoming the last leader of the Group of Seven to visit the country as he seeks an active role. for Japan in international affairs.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stimulated Japan’s foreign and defense policy, raising concerns about the cost of geopolitical instability. Policymakers as well as the public are worried that the country won’t be prepared to handle a crisis in its own backyard, whether it’s North Korea’s aggression or its efforts. China aims to gain autonomy. Formosa.

The war also raised concerns about Japan’s dependence on other countries for food and energy, most of it imported. Prices of commodities such as natural gas skyrocketed after the invasion, putting cost pressure on Japan’s electricity production. In response, it has forged closer ties with its allies and broken a decades-old stalemate over military spending, doubling its budget.

It is an important change for Japan, where the constitution limits the country’s ability to engage in military action and the public has long opposed any policy that even implies withdrawal. long-standing official stance on pacifism. This increase has raised spending to about 2% of annual economic output, putting Japan on par with members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The move is seen as signaling a willingness to play a more active role in any military crisis in the Asia-Pacific region.

Different from past behavior, Japan has drawn a clear line on the war in Ukraine, which, together with other G7 nations, imposed punish Russia and provide billions of dollars in financial aid, as well as nonlethal military aid, such as helmets and bulletproof vests. At the end of last month, Mr. Kishida pledged an additional $5.5 billion in support.

Mr. Kishida set out for Ukraine from India, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on issues including safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Pacific.

In a speech on Monday at India’s World Affairs Council, a think tank in New Delhi, Kishida said that Russia’s war has prompted a “paradigm shift” in international affairs. global topic.

“Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine forces us to face the most fundamental challenge: preserving the peace,” he said, according to prepared remarks.

Mr Kishida flew from India to Poland, where he boarded a train to Kyiv, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. The secret trip is highly unusual for a prime minister in Japan, where the leader’s movements are often broadcast in advance and reported in detail.

Hisako Ueno contribution report.

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