Photo/Illutration Takahisa Kasai, who imports vodka from Ukraine, with his wife, Fujie, on Feb. 3 in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture (Risako Miyake)

ANJO, Aichi Prefecture--A Japanese couple here is importing vodka from their friend in Ukraine who runs a liquor company to support his business and also donate some of the proceeds to help Ukrainians. 

Takahisa Kasai, 72, and his wife, Fujie, 71, were in Kyiv when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

They lived in the capital of Ukraine for 12 years, teaching Japanese there.

But the invasion turned their lives upside down, forcing the couple to flee from Kyiv and return to Aichi Prefecture in March.

Since settling in Anjo, they have offered support to Ukraine by taking care of their former students who have fled to Japan and sending goods to many parts of Ukraine.

The couple also wanted to help their friend who runs a liquor company, Premium Spirits Brands.

The man used to be their neighbor when they lived in an apartment in Kyiv.

Kasai and the man used to visit each other’s homes to drink vodka, which is called "horilka" in Ukraine.

The vodka the man’s company produces “was so tasty that it changed my concept of vodka,” Kasai said.

The language barrier did not matter, and they became close friends through the alcoholic beverage, Kasai said.

“I want to help my friend,” he thought.

He decided to import the company’s luxury vodka called “Distil No. 9” to Japan.

Typically, vodka is made of barley, corn or potatoes. But Distil No. 9 is made exclusively of wheat, a rarity in Ukraine, where only 2 percent of all vodka produced in the country is made of the cereal grain. 

Distil No. 9 has an alcohol content of 40 percent.

Maksym Mokryi, 34, who is in charge of international sales at the company, said the liquor “tastes fresh and can go with any and all occasions.”

A 700-milliliter bottle is sold at 4,680 yen ($35) including taxes. A donation of 1,000 yen per bottle will go toward Ukraine.

According to Mokryi, the company’s factory in Lviv, western Ukraine, suspended its operations for two months after the Russian invasion.

Due to planned power outages, the amount of production remains limited. Every time an air-raid siren goes off, the employees evacuate, Mokryi said.

But the company continues to produce the vodka, he said.

Kasai wanted to help the company even in the smallest way, such as paying the salary of an employee for one month, and consulted with AIS Co., a shipping company based in Takahama in the prefecture.

Initially, the vodka was going to be transported by sea. 

But Russia attacked the Black Sea port of Odessa in southern Ukraine, disrupting the shipping method. 

Kasai came up with the idea in April to change shipment to air from Poland. 

It took nine months but at the end of 2022, 576 bottles of vodka arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport in the prefecture.

Bar L'Atelier de Mixology in Anjo has served three types of cocktails using the vodka.

One of the cocktails is named “Misto,” which means bridge in Ukraine. It is a reflection of Kasai and others’ desire to serve as a bridge connecting Japan and Ukraine. The cocktail has a flavor of yuzu citrus.

With the first anniversary of the Russian invasion coming soon, Kasai said, “It is important to continue to support in order not to forget Ukraine.”

The vodka is also available at an online liquor shop:
（https://tamaniwa-cellars.com/products/vodka-distil-no9-40-700）

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