JAPAN VOWS SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE RECOVERY EFFORTS

 

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio emphasized how Japan can contribute to Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. (Photo by: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 (Bernama) -- Representatives of the governments of Japan and Ukraine, as well as business organisations, gathered in Tokyo for the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction on Feb 19.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who headed the Japan's delegation, pledged long-term support for Ukraine's recovery through public-private partnership, according to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

In his keynote speech, Prime Minister Kishida described supporting Ukraine's recovery from the ongoing war as "investing in the future", and called on the international community to contribute.

“Japan’s public and private sectors will all work together through an all-Japan approach, utilising the knowledge derived from Japan’s postwar and disaster reconstruction efforts. The promotion of economic reconstruction, however, is not only investment for the future of Ukraine but also investing in Japan and the whole globe,” he said.

Kishida outlined new initiatives for Japan's public and private sectors to support Ukraine and also announced that Japan would ease entry visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens involved in Japan-Ukraine cooperation projects.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian delegation, led by the country’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, extended his gratitude to Japan for its assistance and invited Japanese businesses to invest in Ukraine's reconstruction.

The two governments agreed to cooperate on seven key areas, namely land mine action and debris clearance; humanitarian aid and livelihood reconstruction; agricultural development; biotechnology, digital and information technology; transportation and energy infrastructure; and anti-corruption and governance-strengthening measures.

The conference resulted in the announcement of 56 documents, including inter-governmental agreements, whereby the two governments signed a convention eliminating double taxation, which will support Japanese companies to invest in Ukraine.

They also signed an agreement on bilateral crediting, exchanged notes concerning a grant aid for emergency recovery, and pledged to collaborate in the fields of education and technology.

The conference was attended by around 300 persons and 130 companies in total, with each delegation comprising more than 100 government and corporate officials.

-- BERNAMA