KYIV: Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday visited Bucha, a town near Kyiv where Russian forces were accused of committing widespread atrocities, in a trip hailed as “historic” by Ukraine.
Kishida had arrived in the town as part of an official visit and ahead of an expected meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russian troops were accused of massacring civilians in the capital region suburb of Bucha, which they occupied for several weeks in early 2022.
Moscow denies the accusation, claiming the atrocities in Bucha were staged.
Ukraine praises Japan PM’s visit
Ukrainian officials praised Kishida’s visit. “This historic trip is a sign of solidarity and strong cooperation between (Ukraine and Japan),” said First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova, who goes by the name Emine Dzheppar on Twitter.
“We are grateful to Japan for its historic support and contribution to our future victory,” she said, posting photos of Kishida on a train platform in Kyiv.
Japan’s PM is the last Group of Seven leaders to visit Ukraine and has come under increasing pressure to make the trip as Japan hosts the G7 summit this May.
His trip comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Moscow for talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, with the Ukraine conflict high on the agenda.
Japan has joined Western allies in sanctioning Russia over its invasion of Ukraine while offering support to Kyiv.
