In 2024, the New Europe Center implemented the project “Special Global Partnership. Ukraine and Japan in the context of Russian war”. Its goal is to establish closer cooperation between Kyiv and Tokyo, as well as to develop interaction at the level of think tanks.
The New Europe Center has been making project-based efforts to develop the Ukraine-Japan partnership since 2021.
Over the past four years, we have managed to organise four forums, prepare eight analytical materials and more than ten infographics on Ukrainian-Japanese relations. In addition, in early 2023 and in spring 2024, the New Europe team organised advocacy visits to Japan.
Forums “Ukraine-Japan”
Forum “Asia Strategy in Action. The Role of Ukraine-Japan Cooperation”, 2021
- On 16 February 2021, the first Ukrainian-Japanese forum “Asia Strategy in Action. The Role of Ukrainian-Japanese Cooperation” with the participation of the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan, and leading Ukrainian and Japanese experts. During the three panel discussions, government officials, analysts and academics from Japan and Ukraine addressed issues related to the broader security environment in which both countries are operating, as well as issues on the bilateral agenda, including the role of soft power in Ukraine-Japan relations.
Forum “Ukraine and Japan in regional and global context”, 2022
- Second International Forum “Ukraine and Japan in regional and global context” , organised by the New Europe Center, took place on 27 January 2022. At three discussion panels, government officials, analysts and academics from Japan and Ukraine discussed regional security trends, new security challenges for both countries, and how to build effective relations with Asia and Japan.
Forum “Responsible partnership. Ukraine and Japan in the context of Russia’s war”, 2023
- On 28 February 2023, the New Europe Center held the Third Forum “Responsible Partnership. Ukraine and Japan in the Context of Russia’s War”. During the event, analysts and scholars from Japan and Ukraine discussed issues related to the security environment in which both countries operate, as well as bilateral relations in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Forum “Special Global Partnership. Ukraine and Japan in the context of Russian war”, 2024
On March 15 the New Europe Center held the IV Ukraine-Japan Forum “Special Global Partnership. Ukraine and Japan in the context of Russian war”. During the event, analysts and academics from Japan and Ukraine discussed issues related to the broader security environment in which both countries are operating today, as well as bilateral relations in the context of the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.
ANALYTICS
Policy brief by Alyona Getmanchuk, Director of the New Europe Center.
The paper was presented at the forum “Asia Strategy in Action. The Role of Ukraine-Japan Cooperation” on 16 February 2021. An article based on the paper was published in ZN.ua.
Analytical commentary by Bonji Ohara, Senior Fellow of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The analysis was presented during an online discussion on 15 March 2021.
The document was also published by “Day”.
The analytical commentary by Takashi Hirano, Head of the Japanese Section of UKRINFORM, was presented on 17 March 2021 during an online discussion organised by the New Europe Center.
Analytical commentary by Daisuke Kitade, Senior Analyst at Mitsui & Co. Global Strategic Studies Institute (Japan), and Sergiy Solodkyy, First Deputy Director of the New Europe Center. The paper was presented on 19 March 2021 during the New Europe Center’s online discussion.
Research by Sergiy Solodkyy, First Deputy Director of the New Europe Center, and Natalia Butyrska, East Asia expert.
The paper was presented at the Second Forum “Ukraine and Japan in the Regional and Global Context” on 27 January 2022; a summary of the paper was published by «ZN.ua».
Analytical commentary by Leo Litra, Senior Research Fellow at the New Europe Center.
The paper was presented on 28 March 2022 during the New Europe Center’s оnline discussion.
Analytical commentary by Takashi Hirano, Head of the Japanese Section of UKRINFORM.
The document was presented on 28 March 2022 during an online discussion organised by the New Europe Center.
Discussion paper by Alyona Getmanchuk, Director of the New Europe Center, and Leo Litra, Senior Research Fellow at the Center, based on the results of an advocacy visit to Japan.
The document was presented at the Third Forum “Responsible Partnership. Ukraine and Japan in the Context of Russia’s War” on 28 February 2023.
Advocacy visits of the New Europe Center to Japan
2024
From 27 to 30 May 2024, the New Europe Center in partnership with the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV) held an advocacy visit to Japan.
Numerous high-ranking meetings (including at the level of deputy ministers) were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, influential and active parliamentarians, in state structures responsible for trade and development assistance – JETRO vice president and JICA regional leadership, leading experts and media.
2023
From 12 to 18 January 2023, the New Europe Center in partnership with the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV) conducted an advocacy visit to Japan in connection with the country’s G7 presidency. The purpose of the visit was to advocate for Ukraine’s interests.
The delegation met with the Ukrainian ambassador to Japan, held a meeting with a representative of the Ministry of Defence of Japan on military cooperation, and took part in meetings with the Komeito political party, the Japanese Deputy Minister for Digital Policy, and leading Japanese experts. The delegation visited Hiroshima to discuss issues of terrorism and nuclear blackmail by Russia. The experts also spoke at a roundtable in the Japanese Parliament.
INFOGRAPHICS
2021
The infographics produced in 2021 focused primarily on bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Japan.
2022
In 2022, the New Europe Center prepared an infographic on Japan’s unprecedented support for Ukraine. Here are the key findings of the infographic:
– For the FIRST time since 1945, Tokyo has sent military assistance to another country (Ukraine);
– Japan imposed tough sanctions against Russia for the FIRST time in history and adopted a resolution condemning the actions of the aggressor country;
– Japan became the LEADER in Asia in terms of support for Ukraine.
2023
In March 2023, Japan allocated $30 million for non-lethal weapons for Ukraine and another $470 million to help the energy sector. This was announced on 21 March during a press conference with the President of Ukraine by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who arrived in Ukraine (New Europe made considerable efforts to make this visit possible). At that time, Fumio Kishida was the only leader among the G7 leaders who had not yet visited Kyiv. At the same time, the New Europe Center published a new series of infographics on how Japan is helping Ukraine during the war.
