Japan backs Ukraine as it stands up to Russian aggression – House Speaker Mori
Japan cannot remain indifferent to Ukraine, which is resisting Russian aggression, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament Eisuke Mori said.
"Given the complex security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan cannot afford to remain indifferent to Ukraine," Mori said during a speech at a plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday.
Mori said North Korea remains a source of serious concern due to the abduction of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile testing programs.
"Russia's barbaric actions are an attempt to strip Ukraine of its identity and undermine the international order. Security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is closely intertwined. We must not tolerate any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force," Mori said.
According to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, Mori arrived at the Verkhovna Rada wearing a Ukrainian embroidered shirt.
According to Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, who met with Mori, Ukraine feels Japan's support through concrete actions.
"We spoke specifically about what is of practical importance today: strengthening the defense of Ukrainian airspace and holding the aggressor accountable," Stefanchuk said on Facebook.
Stefanchuk said Mori assured him of Japan's readiness to do everything possible to promote peace in Ukraine.