Photo/Illutration Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal speaks during an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on Feb. 19 in Tokyo. (Provided by the prime minister’s office of Ukraine)

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal thanked Japan for its continued contributions to its war with Russia and shot down the notion of "Ukraine fatigue" on the part of other nations. 

In an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on Feb. 19, Shmyhal addressed a host of topics, including his attendance at a conference in Tokyo to promote Ukraine's reconstruction. 

The Ukrainian prime minister was visiting Japan to attend the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction, held that day.

The conference was co-sponsored by the governments of both countries and Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) and others to discuss support for Ukraine from the public and private sectors in Japan. 

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Shmyhal, and other government and business officials were in attendance. 

Kishida expressed Japan’s long-term support for Ukraine.

Both governments signed a new tax treaty for Japanese companies investing in Ukraine to avoid double taxation. The Japanese side also proposed easing travel restrictions to Ukraine.

A total of 56 documents were signed by the public and private sectors, mainly in seven areas, including land mine countermeasures and debris removal, agriculture, digital, and power and transportation infrastructure.

In the interview, Shmyhal said the results of the conference “are remarkable.”

Noting that Japan’s financial support to Ukraine is one of the largest in the world, Shmyhal thanked Japan for its contribution.

The World Bank and others have estimated that Ukraine’s reconstruction will require $486 billion (about 73 trillion yen) over the next 10 years.

Shmyhal said Ukraine “invites Japanese companies to take part in all of the recovery projects.”

Regarding military assistance, Japan has been supplying Ukraine only with nonlethal equipment due to constitutional restrictions.

On the other hand, in December last year, the government revised the three principles of defense equipment transfer and operational guidelines, which restrict arms exports.

The decision was made to allow exports of Patriot surface-to-air missile manufactured in Japan under a “licensed production” program to the United States.

This could lead indirectly to military assistance to Ukraine in the form of replenishing U.S. military inventories.

Regarding this decision, Shmyhal said, “We respect (the Japanese) Constitution.”

He said that the Patriot missile is one of the best air defense systems that can destroy various Russian missiles including ballistic and hypersonic ones, and that Ukraine needs the missile “as much as possible,” appreciating the Japanese government’s decision to assist, albeit in a roundabout way.

Regarding the nonlethal equipment that Japan has provided to Ukraine, such as bulletproof vests, Shmyhal expressed gratitude and said they have saved many Ukrainian lives.

Asked about the so-called “Ukraine fatigue” due to the prolonged invasion by Russia, Shmyhal denied that there is such thing and expressed confidence that Ukraine will have continued support from the United States and European nations.

Two years will have passed since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24. Since June of last year, Ukraine has been on a counteroffensive to regain its territory, but it has not achieved any significant results in the face of stiff resistance from the Russian military.

But Shmyhal said Ukraine will continue fighting until it restores its borders of 1991 when it became independent from the former Soviet Union.

He said the war is not just a battle between Russia and Ukraine but rather a fight between tyranny and democracy. If Ukraine loses, another tyrannical state may be emboldened to follow suit, which will result in more wars around the world, Shmyhal said.

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