Takaichi holds first talks with Zelenskky, but no mention of defense cooperation

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged to continue Japan’s support for Ukraine at her first summit meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

“Japan stands with Ukraine. This policy won’t change,” Takaichi said before a closed-door meeting with Zelenskyy. “We will continue to work with the international community to support Ukraine and maintain sanctions against Russia.”

Japan has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country in 2022. However, self-imposed legal restrictions on exports of lethal weapons have meant Tokyo has limited its military backing to nonlethal items such as trucks and body armor.

In addition, Japan has provided generators to help with energy supplies, and led efforts to plan for the eventual reconstruction of Ukraine’s damaged and destroyed infrastructure.

In media interviews, Zelenskyy has suggested further cooperation with Japan, such as in drone development and supplies of air defense equipment, but the Ukrainian leader didn’t press Takaichi publicly for more assistance ahead of their meeting.

“We are really very thankful to you personally, thankful to Japan,” he said. “We will be very happy to see your businesses in the construction of Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy told a gathering of ambassadors last month that Ukraine’s relations with Japan have not met Kyiv’s “high expectations.” The remarks followed reports that Ukraine is interested in working with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, one of the few non-U.S. companies that holds a license to manufacture advanced Patriot missile interceptors Kyiv desperately needs to fend off Russian missile and drone attacks.

“We would like stronger relations with Japan. That is true,” Zelenskyy told the envoys. “Significant political changes took place there … and there were high expectations. However, the results so far have not been as significant — with all due respect, and we are grateful for Japan’s support — but they have not been as significant as they could have been.”

The talks between the two leaders came as Japan’s relations with Russia sour further over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first visit to Russian-held islands off Hokkaido that were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II.

Russia has in turn criticized what it says is an increasingly hostile policy by Japan toward Moscow as it continues to align with Ukraine.