On January 26, 1992, diplomatic relations were established between Ukraine and Japan. The countries maintain non-conflictual relations, free from political problems and disagreements, which are dynamically developing. One of the significant moments was the 2015 agreement on the acceptance and mutual protection of investment; according to open data, direct Japanese investments in Ukraine as of 2020 amounted to $140 million. And this is just one aspect of the cooperation that has lasted for thirty years.

"The potential for development between Japan and Ukraine is not exhausted. And it is enormous. Recently, Japan has begun to pay attention to Ukraine's high technological capabilities. We value and take pride in the same things: our centuries-old history, unique culture, and rich nature," emphasized the further mutually beneficial exchange between Ukraine and Japan by the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine Matsuda Kuninori.

In an open conversation at kmbs, in addition to the ambassador, the Head of the Office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA Sugimoto Satoshi, Deputy Director of the 4th Territorial Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Valeriy Koroma, adjunct professor at kmbs Olga Khomenko participated. With video messages on the occasion of the celebration, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine (1997-2000) Kurokawa Yuji, translator from Ukrainian to Japanese Fujii Etsuko, Head of the Association of Ukrainian Studies in Japan Okabe Yoshihiko, and the Ukrainian community "Krayany" joined.

Kurokawa Yuji recalled in his address: "The Japanese embassy in Ukraine started its work in Kyiv in 1993, and I became only the second Japanese ambassador to Ukraine. At that time, Ukraine was a completely new country for Japan, so there was little knowledge about your country in the Japanese government. And I myself knew little about Ukraine." Currently, Kurokawa Yuji is, among other things, the author of a popular book in Japan "The Tale of Ukrainian History: The Last Great European State" (published in 2002 and truly popular—it has seven reprints). This indicative story became a kind of leitmotif of the evening: our knowledge of each other deepens, becomes more diverse, independent of "third-party" assessments/prejudices.

Japan was one of the first countries to recognize Ukraine's independence on December 28, 1991. This was rightly reminded in the welcoming speech by Valeriy Koroma. Diplomatic relations were established just a month later, in January 1992. Behind these processes are mutual respect, painstaking partnership work, which continues and is directed, in particular, at supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. "It is important for us that Japan believes in the future of Ukraine," emphasized the diplomat.

Thematic Evening on the Occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Ukraine and Japan