Russia’s war in Ukraine has lasted almost two months and caused a tragic loss of civilian life. The world’s media have fully covered the money and supplies donated by the US and European countries, but many are surprised by the aid that Japan, a country far off in East Asia, has given.
Media reports say that Japan has so far given US$300 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and continues to put diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia.
Compared with India’s policy of self-preservation, Japan was the first Asian country to stand up and criticize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. In addition to introducing economic sanctions against Russia, Japan has also provided humanitarian aid to the victims of Russia’s aggression.
On April 5, Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi arranged to carry 20 Ukrainian refugees — five men and 15 women, aged between six and 66 — to Japan on a government plane. Four of the refugees had no relatives in Japan or a significant reason to be allowed entry, but the Japanese government welcomed them.
Tokyo expressed outrage over the massacre perpetrated by Russian forces in Bucha, a town near the capital, Kyiv. At a news conference on April 8, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the Russian forces’ cruelty and inhumane actions, saying that the international community would not tolerate war crimes.
Kishida said that Russia should be held accountable for the violence it had unleashed, and that Tokyo supported an independent investigation by the International Criminal Court and the UN, with Japan paying in advance its contribution to the court to help it investigate alleged war crimes.
Although a Russian jet entered Japanese airspace early last month, Japan was not intimidated, but extended economic sanctions against Russia. Japan has not only imposed five new sanctions — including banning imports of Russian coal, wood, machinery and vodka — but on Thursday last week, the Japanese Diet voted to revoke Russia’s most favored nation status.
On April 17, Kyodo News announced the results of a survey saying that even if the sanctions against Russia were to have a serious impact on the economy and daily life in Japan, 73.7 percent of respondents supported the government maintaining economic sanctions against Russia.
Japan is prevented by law from providing Ukraine with the major weaponry — heavy artillery, tanks, helicopters and missiles — that the US and European countries have, but the terms of the Self-Defense Forces Act and the “three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology” allow it to provide Ukrainians with large amounts of non-lethal equipment — such as bulletproof clothing, military helmets, clothing and tents, as well as food, cameras, toiletries and generators — to help them in their efforts to defeat the enemy.
Japan, which has a mutual security agreement the US, has reiterated the importance of maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait. It is concerned over deepening ties between China and Russia, and believes that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses a threat to security not only in Europe, but also throughout the world.
Japan is aware that only by supporting Ukraine and doing its best to frustrate Russian aggression can it hope to prevent Chinese aggression toward Taiwan — which it knows it would get involved in.
Yao Chung-yuan is a professor and former deputy director of the Ministry of National Defense’s strategic planning department.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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