Tokyo
CNN
—
Japan pledged $5.5 billion in humanitarian assist to Ukraine on Monday, just about quadrupling the amount of cash Tokyo has promised to Kyiv since Russia invaded its neighbor just about a yr in the past.
“Japan is in a position to lead the world’s efforts to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida mentioned Monday.
Tokyo had up to now pledged to ship Kyiv $600 million in monetary help and $700 million price of humanitarian assist together with clinical provides and meals help. It additionally joined Western allies in enforcing strict sanctions on Russia over its invasion.
Last summer season, Kishida mentioned in a speech that Russia’s invasion gave caution that “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow” – and he echoed that language Monday.
“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not just a European matter, but a challenge to the rules and principles of the entire international community,” he mentioned.
He added that Japan faces its “most severe” safety atmosphere since World War II, mentioning North Korea’s rising nuclear missile program and “attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas.”
Kishida didn’t identify specifics, however Tokyo has noticed itself increasingly more at odds with Beijing over islands claimed through each Japan and China within the East China Sea. Meanwhile, Kishida and different Japanese officers have up to now mentioned that peace around the Taiwan Strait is of maximum significance to Japan’s safety.
Late final yr, Kishida introduced a big build up in Japanese army spending and Tokyo’s aim to obtain long-range guns to counter threats to Japan’s safety.
Kishida additionally introduced on Monday that he’s going to host a web based summit of G7 leaders with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, the primary anniversary of Moscow’s invasion and forward of the yearly G7 summit in Hiroshima in May.
The Japanese chief mentioned Hiroshima was once an acceptable venue for the summit as town was once the web site of an atomic bombing all over World War II and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is elevating new nuclear fears.
“Due to Russia’s actions, the world now faces a real threat from nuclear weapons,” Kishida mentioned. “It is important to convey the reality of the atomic bombings to the world, including the G7 leaders, as the starting point for all efforts toward nuclear disarmament.”
