Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Tokyo on Feb. 19. (The Asahi Shimbun)

It is not only natural, but also a humanitarian obligation, for Japan to support the people of Ukraine who are suffering from the drawn-out war of invasion of their country by Russia.

Moreover, providing aid to Ukraine is essential to maintaining the international order and condemning any unilateral change of the status quo by force.

The Japanese government and the private sector need to collaborate closely to continue supporting Ukraine over the long term, making full use of Japan’s own experiences and technological know-how.

The Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction was held in Tokyo on Feb. 19 to discuss every phase of bilateral collaboration, from emergency wartime aid to future recovery and reconstruction.

Attended by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and representatives of the public and private sectors of both nations, the conference produced 56 documents concerning collaboration in seven main areas, including minesweeping/rubble disposal, agriculture, digital technology and utility/transportation infrastructure.

Heavy fighting is continuing in eastern Ukraine, but there also are many regions that have not been affected by the war. Economic activities are indispensable to maintaining the national strength Ukraine needs to fight the invasion.

A mid- to long-term perspective is needed to encourage Ukraine’s self-sustained economic development that will lead to reconstruction, in addition to meeting people’s immediate needs in their daily lives by providing support in areas such as health care, education and the construction of temporary infrastructure.

Hopefully, Japan’s knowledge of recovery and reconstruction, augmented by experiences of war and natural disasters, should come in handy.

The technology and capital in the possession of Japan’s private corporations hold the key to the reconstruction of basic infrastructure and to providing support in the fields of agriculture and the information technology industry.

The governments of Ukraine and Japan have signed a tax treaty to avoid double taxation of Japanese companies investing in Ukraine and agreed to commence negotiations to review the investment accord concerned.

They also agreed to open an office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and decided to relax travel restrictions for Japanese citizens visiting Kyiv, provided they are working for companies involved in recovery and reconstruction projects.

However, there are all sorts of risks and limitations to activities in any country that is at war.

Kyiv is still under attack from Russian missiles and drones, and the government is responsible for creating a safe environment for corporate activities by providing timely and accurate information and establishing a system for the payment of compensation for damages incurred.

Without such precautions, there can be no long-term support.

What is called “Ukraine fatigue” is now in evidence in Europe and the United States, with the latter’s Congress refusing to approve a supplementary Ukraine aid budget bill.

In Japan, too, some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party called for an explanation of the necessity and the merit of continuing to support Ukraine.

But faced with China’s aggressive maritime advances, Russia’s attempt to change the status quo by force is a real concern for Japan, definitely not just “someone else’s problem.”

For decades, Japan has steadily provided cooperation in civilian fields to newly emerging and developing nations of Asia and Africa.

Although some of these nations have distanced themselves from the European and U.S. sanctions against Russia, Japan should act as an intermediary and try to bring them into the circle of international cooperation for no other purpose than to support Ukraine.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 21

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