Japan to unveil Y100 bil in aid to Ukraine at G7 summit

100 billion yen in financial aid to Ukraine? Why not that amount for the Japanese people in hardship!!

If JAPAN has so much MONEY, why is it going to give it away to the UKRAINE???!! Here in JAPAN we are working are butts off night and day to GIVE MONEY AWAY???!! WTF???!!!

That's just sad... way to go Abe. So much for his "patriotism". Vowing down to US pressure is how we roll.

Oh my, where did they get the idea that the Ukraine need Japans money? Let the EU pay, they installed a western oriented government in the Ukraine and look at the situation now.

Raise the consumption tax and give it to Ukraine. What a joke. Help your own people who are suffering in Japan.

All these comments above blasting our Prime Minister. I'm not a fan of him not in the very least. But I support measures of support for Ukraine since it sends a message to Russia that we're not going to give in to their capricces of taking over others' land. They stole the Kurils, they stole Crimea now. It's like the Soviet Union taking shape. And must be stopped.

I agree with HokkaidoBoy. Japan's aid to Ukraine also lessens the Ukraine's reliance on financial "Russian Aid" . Russia seems to live in fear of it "losing its influence" on Soviet-era states like Ukraine that have now become independent countries. And Russia wants to maintain "influence" over the EU with its oil and gas pipeline. Obviously the world has to maintain its caution over Russia's pyrrhic gifts. Japan sees that maintaining solidarity with US and NATO allies as being the best strategic move in dealing with Russia and other international threats.

Where is Abe getting all this money to give to other countries when doesn't have money to help his own people are living in shacks?

Support a fascist government that is racist, that seized power in an illegal coup. That used snipers who shot unarmed police and protesters. Good move.

I guess the Fukushima/Tohoku problem has been solved and they can drop the extra taxes we pay for that. Please, Japanese government, pull your heads out.

Aid money ??, lets put this into perspective , is this money free of all ties, or is there a payback clause, we give you something, we want something back in return, or was this money actually a loan, with strict payback clauses with substantial interest. Like others here I'm a sceptic, I never believe everything I read or hear. Plus, was this actual Japanese money, or was Japan just used as the giver or such a monetary gesture. This is all politics, controlled by a select few, a global club and as the late George Carlin rightly pointed out" and we are not members" But I like many, am not totally cold hearted, I believe that there are some more deserving cases in the world , where much assistance is needed,the Ukraine not being one of them, and as pointed out in previous comments there is still a huge amount to be done to relieve suffering here in Japan. Priorities seem to confuse politicians, I often wonder why this is.

On a sour note, about 30% of the natural gas being imported to Japan is from RUSSIA!! So if Japan is not careful RUSSIA could retaliate by cutting off natural gas to Japan!!

Japan is second largest US security holder (China No1. helping USA financial crisis) 1.2 trillion dollars. It can afford but I wander what is purpose. I know it does not try to conquer another country by invasion now but ...... Is this another way like Japan Inc conquered USA industries?

All the ones in blind support of U.S. hegemony, here is your reward. Keep supporting. Maybe one day you'll wake up. Dirt poor and immensely happy.

This affirms Schizo Abe has a death wish for Japan. The Japanese people need to wake up and get rid of this miscreant before he brings even more trouble for the country.

Japan should keep the money and stop giving it away to appease the US.

Toshiko-Actually the #1 holder of US government debt debt is The Federal Reserve ($1.8 trillion).

I could understand wanting to help and sending some money, but 100 billion is a bit ridiculous isn't it? Especially when we are in some kind of "Economic crisis" that requires an overly hyped "3 arrows" plan that (as far as I can tell) is currently having major hiccups.

I know it's not a lot, but that money (100 billion) divided amongst the Japanese (127 million ish) is around 7-800 yen a head. If we give it to the people displaced by the Tohoku quake (about 340,000 per wikipedia) that's almost 300,000 yen a head. Still not going to make everything "ok", but that could go a long way towards standards of living, especially larger families of 5 or so members.

That's a real kick in the teeth for the displaced people in Tohoku.

$#badman: I wrote foreign countries. China 1.27 tr. Japan 1.2 tr. Increase % more than China increased. Maybe Japan is planning profit money in Uklina to finance Japanese displaced people?

I don't understand why or how the US is borrowing money from Japan, then ordering to pay to Ukraine... lol.

ONE WORD: WHY? Does Japan really think it will be able to profit from commerce between these two countries? Japan, first! Japan and the USA cannot save the world. China TODAY sent ships to the Indian Ocean to search for its people. It should have done it the day it happened. Japan and the USA cannot afford to pay the bills for the world.

People need to understand that this 100mil yen is in the budget. They're not cancelling a building project so that Ukraine gets 1billion US$.

This is the cost of doing business on the international stage. It is meant to a) show that Japan is an international player who has "muscle" (in the form of soft power), b) get in good with NATO/European Union (which could easily pay back that 1billion US$), and c) to show solidarity with the rest of the world that Japan will not allow a militarily powerful nation to bully a smaller nation.

The last one is especially important for Japan, since there have been quite a few recent tensions in he area concerning a certain human-rights-violating neighbor.

It is sad, though, because I was hoping Japan was finally making good headway towards signing a peace treaty with Russia over the Northern Territories. :(

Wow, what a stunning insult to people still in temporary shelters and with broken lives with no end in sight. Why can Abe help Ukraine but not Japanese? If not the PM of Japan, then who?

Rest of the world != EU which is lead by the US. Japan is not even part of NATO. What will Japan have to gain by being on the good side with NATO?

The EU and US is declining while China and Russia are rising. Japan better start paying attention to them instead.

It is meant to a) show that Japan is an international player who has "muscle" (in the form of soft power)

The last time Japan did that, it was lambasted for merely playing the "cheque diplomacy".

c) to show solidarity with the rest of the world that Japan will not allow a militarily powerful nation to bully a smaller nation.

There was no bullying, Crimea called for break away from Ukraine and joining Russia on their own.

The last one is especially important for Japan, since there have been quite a few recent tensions in he area concerning a certain human-rights-violating neighbor.

One of the favorite excuses for the US to attack and criticize a nation. The US financially supports human rights groups against the country that they want to attack, while they ignore all the other human rights violations elsewhere.

Rest of the world != EU which is lead by the US. Japan is not even part of NATO. What will Japan have to gain by being on the good side with NATO?

The EU and US is declining while China and Russia are rising. Japan better start paying attention to them instead.>

Aside from North Korea, China (neutral) and Russia, the entire world has condemned the Russian invasion and annexation of Crimea.

Not entirely sure how you figure Russia is on the rise, but Japan gave billions in foreign Aid to China for several decades. Of course, Japan should better ties with China, but that would require Japan to undermine its sovereignty which is something it will not and should not do, at the moment.

Aid to the Ukraine is a good PR move. I remind you that the Eurozone is, currently, the wealthiest region in the world by GDP.

Further, Japan is not part of NATO, but it is very close to NATO. Strengthening ties to NATO (and showing support for US policy) is a good move since the situation with China is growing increasingly uncertain.

The last time Japan did that, it was lambasted for merely playing the "cheque diplomacy".>

Completely different, that was a time of war. As of now, no one is planning for war with Russia, and even the US is contemplating giving aid to the Ukraine. It is a good move, wholly in-line with other countries.

There was no bullying, Crimea called for break away from Ukraine and joining Russia on their own.>

I'm sorry, what? The Russian military strolled into the Crimea, patrolled the streets, fortified its positions within the region and then decided to hold a referendum on Crimea's independence without consulting the ruling party in Kiev. Then they claimed that 95% of the population voted to secede, meanwhile at least 12-25% of the voters boycotted the referendum on the basis that it was illegal.

Have you even seen reports from Crimea? I support Crimea's right to choose, but they must do it within the legal framework of the country they are apart of. They especially do not have that right AFTER they get occupied by the Russian military, especially since there were many anti-Ukraine protests (and several deaths caused by them) which may have intimidated potential voters.

This is despite Russia swearing to uphold Ukraine's territorial sovereignty for the sake of Ukraine handing over its nuclear armament.

One of the favorite excuses for the US to attack and criticize a nation. The US financially supports human rights groups against the country that they want to attack, while they ignore all the other human rights violations elsewhere.>

Excuse me, but I am neither a representative or employee of the US government. However, for the record, I condemn all human rights violations around the world, and that includes Japan and the US.

However, if you think any of those countries comes anywhere close to the level of abuses committed in China, North Korea and other authoritarian regimes you need to read more.

That is getting away from the point, though. Japanese sovereignty IS threatened by China, and so a Japan who is seen to be uncompromising on sovereignty issues is important for its international image (and would also help garner support if China should decide to invade the islets).

Japan is a part of huge economic mechanism G7 and this partly is helping to maintain economy on highest possible level. Since all G7 members help Ukraine in some way Abe did the same.

I'm just wondering how a nation with a 23.3 trillion yen in debt offer 100 billion in aid to Ukraine?

Japan does it in a halfhearted way out of regard for Washington of course. Sort of alibi for stealing its way for bargaining with Russia on the other side of the hemisphere. Tokyo's seemingly lukewarm sanctions compared with those of the US and EU may be recognized by Moscow too. The president of Rosneft a Russian oil company who is close to Putin attended the Russian investment forum in Tokyo on March 19 and said that the critical situation in Ukraine won't last long and its influence on the natural gas exploitation project with Japan off Sakhalin will be limited. Must lose a fly to catch a pink salmon.

The EU which is lead by the US should not have gotten involved in the first place. Sorry but the EU/US DOES not have the moral high ground here. They just seem like a bunch of hypocrites now. Is Russia better, no, but neither is the US/EU.

without consulting the ruling party in Kiev

Thats where you f%&ked up MG. The NEW government in Ukraine is illegal, hence, not the ruling party but a puppet State.

I'm just wondering how a nation with a 23.3 trillion yen in debt offer 100 billion in aid to Ukraine?

By raising your taxes, of course!

Never knew Ukraine is part of Japan. I guess these money would make better use in Japan, to fight with Fukushima.

They are not giving the money. It is a loan :)

Japan plans to provide 100 billion yen in financial aid to Ukraine, public broadcaster NHK said Friday, as relations with Russia cool over the Crimea crisis.

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After I read Hkitagawa, I went back to the article. Hkitagawa is right, It is a loan.

I always learnt that Neo-Nazis and fascists were bad. It was them we saw demonstrating on the Maidan and who would go on demonstrating in the middle of winter for 3 months on a square? Most people need to work to make a living and conditions are not that great in Ukraine.Yet those people could afford this vacation and even have money enough to pay for gasoline used in molotow cocktails. Does that even make sense? Would you do that unless you maybe got paid by some higher authority. But it turns out that the majority of our politicians think differently. So, it must be ok now to overthrow legally established governments nowadays, but referendums by people are illegal now. What message are they really sending out there? Klitchko, the next to be president of Ukraine, is being sponsored by the German Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and his party is partnered with the CDU. Doesn't that explain everything? The money donated by Japan should have gone to the people in temporary housing in Fukushima and never to Ukraine.

A loan or not, 100 Billion yen is too big money. It's hard to belive.

"Moscow has said it will retaliate by issuing its own list of sanctions against senior U.S. officials. "

Senator John McCain said, "Guess my spring break to Siberia is off."

@Foxie: The money donated by Japan should have gone to the people in temporary housing in Fukushima and never to Ukraine.

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Japan did not donate money. It is loan. Don't know money smaller than one of Japan Inc borrow from Mitsui or Mizuho can do anything to one country. , Help one corporation?

National debt of Ukraine is about 160 bln US$. If japanese people think that it's just a loan - you're fool. Because Ukraine owe a lot of money to another countries, especially to Russia and EU. So if Ukraine will payback this loan it will be in far-far future, because nowadays Ukraine close to bankruptcy.

It's just political decision in favor of US foreign policy.

Support a fascist government that is racist, that seized power in an illegal coup. That used snipers who shot unarmed police and protesters. Good move.

You are talking about illegal Crimean government, aren't you? I agree!

@kungaa mergen: Loan is not meant Ukline to pay existing debt, It was meant to help Ukline grow to be an small industrial nation, Just like home loan, it was not meant to pay back right away. Tokyo’s assistance will include loans and other financial support for infrastructure and other public projects in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, it said.

I always learnt that Neo-Nazis and fascists were bad. It was them we saw demonstrating on the Maidan

The money donated by Japan should have gone to the people in temporary housing in Fukushima and never to Ukraine.

Come on, you are now retelling the Kremlin TV mantras about Ukraine and since Kremlin TV is not popular In Japan this means you have nothing to do with this country. ;) You are neither a Ukrainian nor a Japanese. Why are you so excited about Japanese money then?

I don't think Japan could afford these loans and aid at this time. Maybe the PM could ask his counterpart in China to dip into their pocket to help out Ukraine.

!@Tom Webb: 100 million yen is less than US1 billion dollars. Right now Japan hold US 1.2 trillion dollars of US Security bond. Japan can afford.

@Serhiy: Enjoy Gremlin TV then.

The loan amount is less than Toyota that will pay penalty in USA (1.2 billion). Too far away somewhere that Japanese people have to wait what this is all about quite a while, with checking maps. .

That is the main reason why the U.S. will never move its troops from Japanese territory and also will never allow the Japan build their atomic bomb. It is very convenient to have a puppet sitting on trillions of dollars and use it as your U$ cash dispenser.