Japan to pledge $106 million in aid to Ukraine
Japan will pledge ¥15.8 billion ($106 million) in aid to support the reconstruction of Ukraine from war damage in seven fields including infrastructure and de-mining, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday, The Japan Times reports.
The governments of the two countries are expected to agree on Japan's involvement in the European nation's post-war reconstruction and sign more than 10 memorandums of cooperation at the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Reconstruction slated for Feb. 19 in Tokyo.
The conference in Tokyo — to be held ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 — will come at a time when concerns are growing about dwindling military support for Ukraine from Western countries.
In January, Tokyo announced a $37 million contribution to a NATO fund to provide additional support for Ukraine, including an unmanned aircraft detection system, yet Japan cannot give military assistance under its pacifist Constitution.
The ¥15.8 billion aid will be used to provide de-mining equipment and temporary bridges among other resources urgently needed to promote the war-torn country's reconstruction efforts, according to the sources.
