Japan's foreign minister visits Poland; renews support for Ukraine

nice photo op dude.....

Perhaps the maskless man in the red tie needs to be a little more discreet with his smartphone camera? (Can’t make out the lapel pin.)

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday, assuring him of Tokyo's "firm resolve" to assist Ukraine.

During their meeting in the Polish capital of Warsaw, Hayashi said Japan is with the Ukrainian people and prepared to provide more humanitarian aid to civilians whose lives have been upended by Russia's invasion, according to the Foreign Ministry.

These first paragraphs are a political minefield for Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.

All the humanitarian support cannot hide the fact, as with the German conundrum, Japans dependence on Russian energy imports are financing Putin slaughtering.

Replacing Russian LNG from Sakhalin-2 would cost Japan $15bn

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Energy/Replacing-Russian-LNG-from-Sakhalin-2-would-cost-Japan-15bn

Hayashi is either pointing out refugees will have to remain on a certain side of the railroad tracks,

or, …

I am not suggesting Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi doesn't genuinely empathize with the Ukrainian government and people.

He's fallen and he can't get up!

Matthew HopkinsToday  05:29 pm JST

The UK government tend to put people who sit on roads in jail. At least eventually. Children prevented from playing by a bunch of adults who have not learnt it is rude to point. I would say disney-hands but disney staff are a bit too handsy.

Maybe Japan could help give money to the thousands of Polish families that have actually opened up their homes to strangers. That room is full of suited and booted people taking advantage of peoples suffering just to score a few strokes of self-promotion.

Many of those children may never see their fathers again. I want this farce ended as soon as possible and this type of stuff is doing nothing practical.

Japan has donated over 1.5 billion Dollars since 2014.

As far as I know, Japan has donated much more than any country in Europe

https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2014/0325_02.html

Matthew HopkinsToday  05:29 pm JST

you scored a lot of downvotes Matthew, but yes, the support for Polish families, as you suggest, would be very practical.... the $1.5 billion 'support' linked by Udondashi is in the form of loans, support for infrastrucrure development, and like that, and was a proposed budget dated 2014, so.... not specific to the current situation, and, like most 'aid', doesn't actually reach people, I expect.... your commentt was probably a bit too real for people who buy into the global political mythos....

Practical aid now not photo ops. The children’s pictures were sweet but he should have come with plane loads of what ever the Ukrainians have asked for, that would have been meaningful.

Japan MUST DO more than 337, these people as we all know lost everything including the lives of some loved ones so don't break their hearts any further with the usual red tapes and formalities.

Agreed *@englisc aspyrgend 7:22pm: **“practical aid now not photo opps”.*

-“Hayashi also said the international community must act "unitedly and resolutely" against Russia, which invaded Ukraine more than a month ago, the Japanese ministry said.”-

Contrary to any filtering, we can presume this “international community” would include the U.S. and it’s elected and appointed representatives?

Regardless, @Speed’s 5:54pm conclusion to my earlier 5:39pm post is aptly amusing:

“He's fallen and he can't get up!” -

Matthew HopkinsToday  06:51 pm JST

Udondashi - Since the start of the war which is about one month old the uk has donated 400 million pounds of aid. 1.5 billion dollars since 2014 from a richer country that has not taken anywhere close to the refugees that the UK has done from various parts of ths world is tiny. I am sure Japan has donated a lot, lot more.

The allies have already paid enough for all wars that the United States did around the world.

Most streets in Japan don't even have grounding power lines because most prefectures don't have resources to pay and maintain the power lines grounded, however Japan is obliged to foot the bill for all wars that States get into.

Honestly if States need to go to war every 10 years to keep their War Industry do so entirely at their own.

Unfortunately, the knowledge and experience of those able to direct the discussion is not commensurate with experience nor reality

Could be around 30 people ?

I was hopefully it would be more than the 30 people that was previously announced.

Now iam sceptical it will be even up to 30.

Must be embarrassing for him to experience all that and not be able to do more for Ukraine.

Slightly pathetic sorry to say.

Japan should stay out of this mess. It was created by NATO’s Stoltenberg, refusing to promise Russia no Ukrainian and Georgian NATO-membership. EU added to the crises by not stopping/warning this NATO-expansion effort.

Zia and EstebanApr. 3  05:58 pm JST

Man not wearing a mask. Man wearing his mask without covering his nose.

Why can't these people represent Japan correctly?

they are representing Japan truthfully though, are they not?

Hayashi also said the international community must act "unitedly and resolutely" against Russia, which invaded Ukraine more than a month ago, the Japanese ministry said.

Today Japan has China&Koreas (both) like enemies...

But that is not enough for Japanese politicians.

They looking for more and more enemies.

Sorry - isolation was a better solution.

Japanese goes outside only to seek troubles.

Japan is doing exactly the right thing. It is pacifist in nature and it is doing some good for Ukrainian refugees without threats of war. It is at times like this one that we see that Japan is a pacifist nation and will remain so.

Most importantly, the U.S. has not jumped into a war with Russia. (Both Russia and the U.S. know what can happen if they do go to war.). Thus, in spite of themselves, in relation to each other, they are ironically giving peace a chance.

Japan is doing exactly the right thing. It is pacifist in nature

Sounds good, but try to say this in China, North Korea, South Korea and even in Russia...

Do more for Japanese in Japan.

There's no shortage of needy people here, especially children.

That pic is disturbing on a multitude of levels.