Japan pledges $4.5 bil more in aid for Ukraine, including $1 bil in humanitarian funds

Money poured down the sewer.

Donations to Ukraine ?

Plenty of money in Japan so let’s give a billion or two to the Gazans before they die of the plague!

Stop wasting our tax money on a failed US/NATO plot.

Keep in mind, if the US gets in direct conflict with Russia, Japan will also be at war with Russia.

They don’t learn from history don’t they?

In the end Russia is never going to lose.

Napoleon and Hitler know this.

It's completely ridiculous, Japan wasting its own money on a war that doesn't belong on the other side of the world for a country that already has lost the war...

Japan, you have to invest your own money in your own problems, help your own people first...

They don’t learn from history don’t they?

In the end Russia is never going to lose.

Napoleon and Hitler know this.

Exactly...

History never fails..

Russia is invincible..

Japan has donated more than $7 billion to Ukraine since the war started, mostly for humanitarian assistance, and military equipment limited to non-lethal weapons because of legal limitations under its pacifist constitution.

More precisely, according to the Ukraine Support Tracker (Keil Institute for the World Economy, at https://www.ifw-kiel.de/topics/war-against-ukraine/ukraine-support-tracker), Japan’s total commitment, before this announcement, stands at EUR 6.81 billion. EUR 1.03 billion of which is humanitarian commitments, EUR 5.748 billion in financial commitments, and EUR 0.031 billion in military commitments (and, before you ask, there is no explanation provided over the .001 difference in the above numbers).

worry about here not Ukraine nor Gaza. Meanwhile inflation is going through the roof here in Japan but hey... let's donate 5 billion dollars to a lost cause, yeah why not.

And who still believes Japan isn't required to do as the United States says at the Akasaka Press Center?

Good job, Japan! Russia will not stop until they are stopped.

Disastrous Senate briefing on Capitol Hill Senate blocks funds to Ukraine Japan announces funds for Ukraine

Think about this sequence of events in just a few days this week, all reported here.

This is hardly a coincidence: rather a chain reaction triggered by the original occurrence - all are linked by domino-effect.

"Aid" from Japan is not donations. It's something they expect to get back (with interest).

And, lol.

Exactly...

History never fails..

Russia is invincible..

Napoleon and Hitler know this.

The Afghans didn't.

Ukraine is going to keep Russia bogged down for years, going to keep a steady stream of Russian boys going home in pieces until they turn tail and go home.

The Afghans knew this.

For clarification, there was meant to be hyphen after the 6th and 11th words of the first sentence.

That's 4.5 billion that could be used to build new schools, repair the national pension system, or even boost Japan's own defenses.

As usual, the people in charge have a misplaced sense of priorities.

Japan is Americas pawn in Asia, will do anything they ask with the only returns being "protections" that if we needed to mobilize with our current ammunition stockpiles and enlistments would take months. Country would be much better off investing in their own infrastructure, tech, and military. Japan needs to rewrite the constitution and prepare themselves for the ensuing conflict.

Japan is Americas pawn in Asia, will do anything they ask with the only returns being "protections"

So America ordered Japan to give Ukraine a paltry $4.5 billion?

Not a very good pawn is it? Why didn't they order them to give $50 billion?

Perhaps it's because Japan isn't a pawn of America and chooses to donate whatever it wants.

Putin fans have difficulty grasping that most of the world opposes his shabby land grab.

Humanitarian aid is always worth it.

It feels a little bit like the US should be paying for it though. they instigated the whole thing.

Unbelievable, $4.5bil more for an endless war with NO END IN SIGHT, Gaza Women, Children, and infants, need clean water, Toilets, Food, and medicine how about helping them too!??

Ukraine has a choice that the Children of GAZA don't have, the only option they have is to keep on running and hiding from Israeli bombs and missiles.

Generators, power supply equipment and credit guarantees are non lethal aid and good way to help.

Not when they are in the middle of a war, it's not. Unless Kishda is psychic.

This is not really big money. This is :-

Reuters has got their hands on and published a list presented by the Ukraine MOD to a closed-door session of a conference in Washington on Wednesday attended by government officials and defense industry executives titled "List of armaments to meet the needs of defense forces of Ukraine". It is a list of arms it hopes to receive from Washington over the coming months, including several new weapons not featured in past US aid packages.

Requests include: C-17 Globemaster transport jets, C-130 Super Hercules, Apache attack helicopters, Black Hawk helicopters, F-18 "Hornet" fighter jets, MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones (plus two other advanced types), THAAD air defense system.

https://archive.is/9ubAI

A well know and established fact, Ukraine is a Corrupt government has been for years and still is. I doubt if this $4.5bill will ever be used to defend or help the needy in Ukraine. Stay Tuned.

how a country with so much debt as Japan can give such money to an unknown country instead of spending it for its people. Who voted for this politics???

Who voted for this politics???

Japanese voters, who are overwhelmingly in support of Ukraine, and of which you aren't one. Stay in your lane, it doesn't concern you.

Who voted for China's proxy invasion of Ukraine?

indigo - fair point.

Japan has the highest debt in the developed world by a country mile (263% of GDP).

We will keep working together to bring our common victory closer.

LOL

jacknboxToday  09:18 am JST

Japan owns most of its debt.

it will not prevent the TAX increases from 2024

Japan considers only delaying defense spending tax hike.So if the 2024 tax hike is not significant, the 2025 one will be.

indigo has another fair point. Taxes have gone up in Japan, largely to help service the crazy debt.

Consumption tax went from 0% to 5% to 8% to 10% because of this. City/Ward taxes were once non-existent. To pretend whether this or doubling the defense budget won't raise taxes in the future is not realistic. Everyone on median incomes will pay.

great tax wasting of money we will never see back again.

A but like the thousands of children that Russia has murdered in its failed attempt to restore the Soviet empire.

They don't just hand over a bag of cash, the biggest benefactors will be Japanese businesses. Ukraine will get a bunch of Japanese medical supplies, Toyota trucks, Mitsubishi pumps, .....etc

Good for Japan. Ukraine needs help from democracies- and Japan has stepped up along with others.

The Japan and West bashers not happy. But hey - what's new?

Kipling has a good point too. It's not like they will just hand over pallet loads are hard currency stacked in bricks. They will make them spend it on Japanese owned enterprises here or abroad.

All the Hitachi generators, Honda metal detectors and Isuzu ROVs will become attrition, stripped of parts and/or end up on the black market.

The US senate, which just pulled the plug, isn't just funding the war effort - they are bankrolling the entire economy (everything from utilities down to salaries of public employees). Watch the upcoming crash.

Financial aid? Again, we go to the tracker (https://www.ifw-kiel.de/topics/war-against-ukraine/ukraine-support-tracker/), where we learn that, of the top donating countries, for financial assistance, Ukraine has received commitments – from January 24, 2022 through October 31, 2023 – for the following (all in EUR): 77.14 billion from the EU, 24.96 billion from the US, 1.41 billion from Germany, 6.10 billion from the UK, 3.48 billion from Norway, 5.75 billion from Japan, 3.47 billion from Canada, 1.10 billion fro the Netherlands, 2.20 billion from the Swiss. Plus millions from other countries. And tens of billions in additional humanitarian aid. Lots of billions, we are talking here.

Some people here really can't grasp the benefits for Japan for Ukraine returning back to normal.

Ukraine is a major exporter of various agricultural products such as cereal vital to all people. The hike of various dairy, poultry/eggs, etc. is due to Ukraine not being able to export their agricultural products straining supply.

Basically the price of those products are not going down until things goes back to normal which requires money.

In a nutshell, Japan is scratching Ukraine's back so they can scratch ours.

Putin doesn't really want Ukraine anyway.

Lol, course he doesn’t.

Invading a country 3 times and sacrificing thousands of lives is a weird way of not wanting something.

Bogged down for eternity in a war it can’t win or apparently didn’t instigate.

Japans Government hasn’t helped it’s own citizens and residents deal with inflation, low yen value and makes it impossible for them to get any sort of financial assistance and all this while they throw tax payers money around internationally!

stop to pay taxes and fire Kishida.

At least Japan will be on the right side of history!

The guy in the middle looks like Tony Soprano.

I wish they'd use more of this money here in Japan for us or lower my taxes and healthy insurance premiums.

A well know and established fact, Ukraine is a Corrupt government has been for years and still is. I doubt if this $4.5bill will ever be used to defend or help the needy in Ukraine. Stay Tuned.

That's probably all true. Except for one part, it will not be 4.5 billion USD in used notes for Ukraine to spend as it pleases. Ukraine will get whatever Japan wants to give to Ukraine, and will be to the benefit of certain manufacturers or interests or whoever in Japan. Some of it may be repayable, some of it may be double counting of commitments or deals made already. Double counting of prior budgets is rife for "we're going to spend xxxx on schools" type announcements.

The idea that foreign aid is a big pile of cash that could simply be spent on something else, like childcare in Japan, is usually false.

When the US governor of Japan(Emanuel) is watching and staring, the LDP puppets must be very generously open tge pockets of Japanese people's money to sponsor that most corrupted country in eastern Europe. The people of Japan must be very furious watching at this show now showing !

Good to see countries continue to step up to defend against barbarism. Even non-military aid is important.

TobleroneToday 06:46 am JST

Money poured down the sewer.

Is that the same sewer Russian bodies are going down? Now I know why they keep talking about "liquidation".

Mr KiplingToday 06:59 am JST

Stop wasting our tax money on a failed US/NATO plot.

Still Putin's War

That reminds me one thing. During the Falklands war 1982, British colonial of Hong Kong had made a contribution to UK for part of the expense of Britain's campaign over the Argentina held isles in South Atlantic. The money was given without the consensus of local people because HK was a colonial, it stirred up a controversial but nothing has changed.

The scenario here is similar, a war far away that does not belongs to those taxpayers, given away in a quick and non-negotiable way like a sudden money grabbing or you can call it a political ATM. Because a colony has no way to bargain at all in that deal. Pity, in 21st century, colonialism still working here like this way because a small group of collaborators in power!

To pretend Ukraine is a strategic partner for Japan and there is mutual back scratching going on is just plain delusional.

It's a US proxy war which they have signed onto in the capacity of a cheerleader-cheque writer type role under orders from above.

That means they will own part of the consequence (until everyone washes their hands of it).

Other countries got drawn into the assault on Korea/Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan under the same premise; history repeats itself.

AureliusToday 07:01 am JST

But on Thursday, Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky said his country and Japan are discussing a possible Japanese provision of anti-missile defense and anti-drone equipment.

Exactly what defense equipment are they discussing ?

Does Zelenskyy honestly believe Ukraine has any chance of kicking out the Russians ?

Ukraine needs the defense equipment just to keep the savages from stealing more.

AureliusToday 10:20 am JST

Ukraine is going to keep Russia bogged down for years, going to keep a steady stream of Russian boys going home in pieces until they turn tail and go home.

You got i backwards

Russia is keeping multiple countries bogged down with his invasion of Ukraine and Ukraine is running out of troops long before Russia would.

The only real expenditure that matters is in human lives, and Russia is spending plenty.

Putin doesn't really want Ukraine anyway.

Then he would have proposed an unconditional ceasefire with the lines in place. We haven't heard that.

The money will simply help prolong the war, leading to more Ukrainians being killed.

> Japan has the highest debt in the developed world by a country mile (263% of GDP).

The Fascist Russia supporters are grasping at straws, using "debt" as an argument.

Almost ALL Japanese debt is domestic. Stop being alarmist.

It really is rather curious how many supporters of Fascist Russia, Communist China and totalitarian North Korea there are on JAPAN Today. Endless hate for Japan.

The money will simply help prolong the war, leading to more Ukrainians being killed.

It will also prolong your delusion that Ukraine is responsible for ending the war.

Why should Japan future increase its massive debt to fix a mess created by the US and NATO.

Why should Japan future increase its massive debt to fix a mess created by the US and NATO.

It shouldn't. Fortunately it isn't.

Lot's of deluded Putins here today, so let me clear something up for you;

Russia invaded Ukraine. Neither NATO nor America invaded Ukraine.

No No No. Putin has everyone bogged down in his invasion of Ukraine and thats exactly his plan. He don't want UKRAINE really

Serious question, but are you a bit mad?

Nobody but Ukraine and Russia are bogged down in Ukraine. Nobody but tens of thousands of Russians and Ukranians are getting slaughtered by Putin's invasion.

Putin has annexed Crimea and is in control of large swathes of Ukraine. What the hell do you think he wants in return for his dead soldiers?

To pretend Ukraine is a strategic partner for Japan and there is mutual back scratching going on is just plain delusional.

Ukraine does need to be strategic partners, hell they don't even require to export their agricultural products to Japan, helping them releasing their supply to the world releives the demand pressure resulting to lowering the grain price in International trade. It's called Demand and supply. You may have heard about it in Economy for dummies. LoL

Once demand for food is satisfied, the world economy for industrial goods will go up rising demand on Hi-tech Japanese manufactured goods which will increase the value of Yen resulting to stemming inflation in Japan.

That is what scratching each other backs really means!!

To all the Japanese who doesn't think Japan should send aid to Ukraine, do they not remember the international help they got after the Kansai and Fukushima earthquakes? Shame on you for forgetting!

Countries, regions, and organizations all over the world offered assistance and expressed their solidarity with Japan, which faced a national crisis. The governments and authorities of 163 countries and regions, and 43 international organizations offered to provide rescue teams, relief supplies, and donations. That was for both Kansai and Fukushima earthquakes.

What a total waste of MY money and of the elderly people who can't afford to eat in Japan who paid taxes for 50 years!! Kashida is an absolute clown who needs to go

Good on Japan, before the Pacific war Japan were know for their humanitarian effort world wide. So much so the head office of the Red Cross was going to be in Tokyo. I happy for the Japanese people because it will be use for Ukraine to get back on their feet and for rebuilding. One thing have learnt in Japan is they are people who will put out their hand to help people get back up. They are no misers.

The Japan and West bashers not happy. But hey - what's new?

Most of us are pro West but not in this specific case.

Within the EU many people are not accepting this situation.

The Fascist Russia supporters are grasping at straws, using "debt" as an argument.

You should be careful about your statements.

We do love democracy and the principles that come from Athen and fascism was a terrible plague that affected many countries,from Italy to Spain and Germany magnified the horrific regime.

So as Communism was another side of inhumane dictatorships like in Soviet Union,China and North Korea.

Different if not opposite ideologies but both applied with the iron fist and fear.

What is Russia experiencing now with Putin is a different type of regime,nevertheless a dictatorship but calling it fascism it is extremely misleading.

And finally better have a more distant and critical view of daily topics rather than cheer and support whatever Japan does.

Well done, Japan!

Good on Japan, before the Pacific war Japan were know for their humanitarian effort world wide.

If Japan was truly a humanitarian country, they would have tried to put an end to this conflict, rather than cheering the West in its support for this senseless sacrifice of Ukrainian lives.

You should be careful about your statements.

What does that mean?

Good, we should all defend the victim against the aggressor!

Why should Japan future increase its massive debt to fix a mess created by the US and NATO.

brainwashed a little by putin?

Raw Beer, Eastman: Diplomacy is a double edge sword. I did not see any cheering but well crafted diplomacy, You both should look up the in the dictionary.

Imagine if that money was used for domestic causes.

It is cheaper to help Ukraine fight Russia than to wait until Putin attacks Japan.

Japan should stay out of the Ukrainian -Russian bloody mess.

It’s the responsibility of USA and EU, created by greed and ignorance.

Let them shoot each other for the next years to come.

Gabor FabriciusDec. 8 11:52 pm JST

Japan should stay out of the Ukrainian -Russian bloody mess.

It’s the responsibility of USA and EU, created by greed and ignorance.

The greed and ignorance of Russia, yes.

Let them shoot each other for the next years to come.

We're only asking that Ukraine have equivalent guns to shoot back so it is a fair fight.

William77Dec. 8 03:19 pm JST

We do love democracy and the principles that come from Athen and fascism was a terrible plague that affected many countries,from Italy to Spain and Germany magnified the horrific regime.

Fascism didn't come from Athens. You could argue it came from Rome, but that's pretty simplistic and even the Roman Republic was hardly a democracy.

What is Russia experiencing now with Putin is a different type of regime,nevertheless a dictatorship but calling it fascism it is extremely misleading.

Close enough. The only thing missing is a party with a blood ensign. The analogy scholars fall back on if Russia is not fascist is Imperial Japan, which is not much better.

elephant200Dec. 8 11:31 am JST

That reminds me one thing. During the Falklands war 1982, British colonial of Hong Kong had made a contribution to UK for part of the expense of Britain's campaign over the Argentina held isles in South Atlantic. The money was given without the consensus of local people because HK was a colonial, it stirred up a controversial but nothing has changed.

The scenario here is similar, a war far away that does not belongs to those taxpayers, given away in a quick and non-negotiable way like a sudden money grabbing or you can call it a political ATM. Because a colony has no way to bargain at all in that deal. Pity, in 21st century, colonialism still working here like this way because a small group of collaborators in power!

Ukraine has done quite well at killing Russians for a supposedly colonized puppet.

Let's ask the guy who lost the war... sometimes lands shrink.

What happened to Prussia (East)? .. that is a question for the people that live there.

The usual standard issue comments here about 'taking care of your own first.' I know these are just misinformation and I should ignore them like everyone else, but seriously where do these people come from that take us for a fool?

If COVID showed us anything it was that we all live on one planet.

Anyway, speaking of hypocrisy:

Will Japan and the US ambassador (what is he doing there anyway, is he reminding everyone who runs Japan?) also help Gaza and the Palestinians?

As for Japan, how about the oil and gas investments in Russia, which (according to these very pages) you said you will keep investing in and not pull out from?

To all the Japanese who doesn't think Japan should send aid to Ukraine, do they not remember the international help they got after the Kansai and Fukushima earthquakes? Shame on you for forgetting!

You do realize that these repetitious talking points stem from comrades working for the state in Russia, don't you?

Fact is that whatever happens from here on Russia and Putin have already lost. Two years later, the "special operation" of a supposed military superpower against a defenseless neighbor has bogged down to such an extent that they are begging for North Korean and Iranian weapons. Finland and Sweden are in NATO and Putin's weaponry doe snot look, er, exactly appealing to customers. Putin just asked for another 170,000 forced conscripts.

Please spend the money here on improving social services than funding those charlatans.

Johnken6

very good response! And you're probably correct.

If the pro-Russian Republicans have their way, Ukraine will fall to Putin.

Should Japan be spending such large funds on supporting a far distant war or instead be spending the funds on securing its own borders including the disputed Northern Territories . . . .

the actions in Ukraine & Gaza are cruel charades orchestrated by arms manufacturers to reap huge profits from the gullible. just say no to war.

Japan enjoys modern infrastructure because they spend less on endless flows of munitions, while the USA has become a decaying cesspool of corruption due to spineless and greedy politicians who have abdicated all authority to forces of evil.

DanielsanToday 01:43 am JST

the actions in Ukraine & Gaza are cruel charades orchestrated by arms manufacturers to reap huge profits from the gullible. just say no to war.

Japan enjoys modern infrastructure because they spend less on endless flows of munitions, while the USA has become a decaying cesspool of corruption due to spineless and greedy politicians who have abdicated all authority to forces of evil.

Japan enjoys modern infrastructure because of pork barrel politics. Permissive drug and gun culture in the US is hardly evil. One could argue in the case of drugs that it is more compassionate than draconian possession laws.

Money down the drain. Japan should learn from China and not waste money on foreign aid. China has done a decent good job of investing in itself and its economy. If only Japan could follow suit...

So interesting to see all the pro Russian, anti Ukraine crowd say Japan should not bother helping Ukraine survive. People in Japan are used to getting help when the country gets hit with earthquakes or tsunami's, and so are used to assisting others in need. What goes around comes around. Most people in the west and outside China and North Korea in Asia, are sympathetic to Ukraine's plight at being invaded by a colonial power looking to expand its borders and enslave its people. Even using its captured citizens to fight against their own people and die.

Japan makes its own determination, and follows its conscience. Well done Japan for choosing correctly. Too bad so many people seem to support the murderous invaders from Russia. Not people of good morals nor people you would ever wish to meet.