By AYAKO NAKADA/ Staff Writer
October 18, 2022 at 13:16 JST
Visiting Ukrainian legislators meet with their Japanese counterparts in the Diet on Oct. 17. (Ayako Nakada)
A visiting group of Ukrainian lawmakers asked Diet members for support in responding to Russia’s military aggression on Oct. 17, saying there was no place on Earth that was truly safe.
They met in the Diet in Tokyo with 21 lawmakers from both the ruling coalition and opposition.
The five Ukrainian legislators, ranging in age from 31 to 48, belong to a group promoting friendly ties between Japan and Ukraine.
One of the Ukrainian lawmakers, Roman Kostenko, 38, is also a military officer.
“Russia has returned the world to several centuries ago,” Kostenko said at the meeting. “There is now no place in this world that is safe. Our request to other nations is simple: Give us weapons. That is our wish.”
He added that Japan could provide support in other forms if there were limits to providing weapons.
The delegation arrived in Japan on Oct. 15 and plan to stay in the country for about 10 days.
They will meet with high-ranking Foreign Ministry officials and individuals connected with business organizations as well as visit local governments that have provided support to Ukraine, according to sources.
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