Japan to provide 100 military vehicles to Ukraine

Since the Russian invasion began last year, Japan has provided Ukraine with bulletproof vests, helmets, gas masks, protective clothing, small drones and food.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised to provide the truck to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met in Hiroshima on the sidelines of the G7 summit on Sunday. Japan also offered to treat wounded Ukrainian soldiers in Japanese military hospitals.

The fleet consists of half-ton trucks, high-mobility vehicles and material carriers, the government said. The Defense Equipment Agency said details such as the exact number of vehicles and when to ship them are still being finalized.

The Japanese government, like the United States and European countries, has provided sanctions against Russian aggression and humanitarian and economic aid to Ukraine.

Japan reacted quickly because it was concerned about the possible impact of the war on East Asia. In East Asia, the Chinese military’s assertiveness is getting stronger, and tensions are rising around the autonomous territory of Taiwan, which China claims as territory.

Japan contributes more than $7 billion to Ukraine. It has also hosted more than 2,000 displaced people and helped them find housing, jobs and education, an unusual move in a country known for its strict immigration policy.