On January 26, 1992, diplomatic relations were established between Ukraine and Japan. Non-conflict, dynamically developing relations between the two countries, devoid of political problems and differences, continue. One of their highlights was the 2015 agreement on the acceptance and mutual protection of investments; According to open data, Japan's direct investment in Ukraine in 2020 amounted to $ 140 million. And this is just one aspect of cooperation that has lasted for thirty years.
"The development potential between Japan and Ukraine is not exhausted. And it is huge. Recently, Japan is beginning to pay attention to the high technological capabilities of Ukraine. We value the same things and are proud of them: our ancient history, unique culture, and rich nature," said Matsuda Kuninori, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, on the other mutually beneficial exchange between Ukraine and Japan.
In addition to Mr. Ambassador Sugimoto Satoshi, Head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA, Valery Koroma, Deputy Director of the 4th Territorial Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Olga Khomenko, Assistant Professor of the kmbs, took part in the open conversation at kmbs. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine (1997-2000) Kurokawa Yuji, Ukrainian to Japanese translator Fuji Etsuko, Chairman of the Association of Ukrainians in Japan Okabe Yoshihiko, and the Ukrainian community of Krayany joined the video address on the occasion of the holiday.
Kurokawa Yuji mentioned in his address: "The Japanese Embassy in Ukraine started working 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 the Japanese government had little knowledge about your country. And I knew little about Ukraine. "Currently, Kurokawa Yuji is, in particular, the author of the popular Japanese book "The Tale of Ukrainian History: The Last European Majestic State" (published in 2002 and popular — it has seven reprints). This telling story became the leitmotif of the evening: our knowledge of each other deepens, becomes more diverse, independent of the assessments/prejudices of "third parties."
Japan was one of the first countries to recognize Ukraine's independence on December 28, 1991. Valery Koroma rightly reminded about this in his welcoming speech. Diplomatic relations were established only a month later, in January 1992. These processes include mutual respect painstaking partnership work, which is ongoing and aimed to support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "It is important for us that Japan believes in the future of Ukraine," the diplomat said.
