1 Introduction

(1) Main Events

On February 24, Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine, and began to attack the northern, eastern, and southern parts of Ukraine, including the capital city of Kyiv (Russia called this a “special military operation”). In a televised speech on the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the purpose was to protect people who had been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime for eight years, and that Russia would seek to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine to that end.

Intermittent negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were conducted from the end of February, but failed to lead to any concrete agreement. At the end of March, the Russian side announced gradual military de-escalation in the Kyiv area and elsewhere. It withdrew from the north, including Kyiv, but subsequently reorganized its forces and concentrated them in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine. After the withdrawal of Russian troops, signs of atrocities, including the massacre of civilians, were discovered in Bucha and other areas near Kyiv, which greatly shocked international public opinion.

Moreover, the Russian side has been making claims for total control of almost all of Kherson Oblast in the south and Luhansk Oblast in the east; Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the southeast, including Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe; and parts of Kharkiv Oblast and Donetsk Oblast in the east.

This impacted food exports through the Black Sea, which remained stagnant. However, on July 22, an agreement on the “Black Sea Grain Initiative” was reached between the United Nations (UN), Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia. Since then, ships carrying grain have been sailing from southern Ukrainian ports.

After the summer, the Ukrainian side launched a counter offensive against Russia. On September 12, it announced the liberation of almost the entire Kharkiv Oblast in the northeast from Russia. On September 21, President Putin announced an order on partial mobilization, which, according to the authorities, mobilized some 300,000 people. In order to escape the mobilization, many people fled from Russia. In late September, so-called “referenda” on “incorporation” into Russia were held in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson in Ukraine, and Russia illegally “annexed” these regions under the pretext of the results of the referenda. Meanwhile, in early October, the Ukrainian side announced that it had retaken Lyman in Donetsk Oblast.

On October 8, when an explosion occurred on the Russian-built bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula and Russia, the Russian side declared it an act of terrorism by the Ukrainian authorities. Since then, the Russian side has been carrying out large-scale missile and drone attacks mainly on energy and other infrastructure facilities in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, causing significant damage. Russia's attacks on civilian infrastructure and others have continued to this day.

In November, the Russian side withdrew from some parts of Kherson Oblast in the south, including the oblast capital Kherson City, but subsequently continued its attacks in the region. Entering December, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced that the Ukrainian side had attempted a drone strike on a military airfield within Russia, and that debris from the drone fell and exploded during the intercept, causing casualties. On December 21, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine visited the United States on his first overseas visit since Russia's aggression began, requesting further military assistance. The United States announced additional military assistance, including “Patriot” surface-to-air missiles.

The year-end and new year holidays also saw intermittent missile, drone, and other attacks against various parts of Ukraine. As it has been pointed out that Russia could implement further large-scale attacks, Western countries are stepping up their military assistance to Ukraine, including the provision of main battle tanks, at the request of Ukraine. As of the end of February 2023, no movements have been seen toward the start of cease-fire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, and the situation continues to be highly unpredictable, with concerns that it may become protracted and escalate further.

Russia's aggression against Ukraine has not only deprived Ukrainian citizens of their lives and peaceful livelihoods, but also directly impacted neighboring countries affected by the conflict and triggered obstacles and restrictions of grain exports and other goods from both Ukraine and Russia, which are the world's leading grain exporters. Russia has also used its energy resources to exert pressure on countries that depend on imports for their energy supplies. Such Russian attempts to use food and energy as a means of geopolitical coercion have led to global food and energy supply shortages and soaring prices.

(2) Japan's Basic Position

Russia's aggression against Ukraine threatens the very foundation of the international order that the international community has built up over a long period of hard work and sacrifice. No country or region in the world can shrug this off as “someone else's problem.” Under the strong determination that unilateral changes to the status quo by force must not be tolerated anywhere in the world, be it in Europe or East Asia, Japan has strongly urged Russia over the past year to immediately cease its aggression and withdraw its troops back to Russia. Japan has also closely cooperated with the international community, including the G7, to implement severe sanctions against Russia and provide strong support for Ukraine. Furthermore, Japan has been actively working to resolve global issues, such as soaring food and energy prices, due to Russia's aggression against Ukraine that have been causing difficulties especially for many developing countries. Japan has also been actively working to address global governance issues such as strengthening of the functions of the UN, including Security Council reform, in order to maintain and strengthen the international order based on the rule of law.

President Putin shifted the Russian deterrence forces to high combat alert immediately after the start of Russia's aggression, and nuclear threats have been made through various forms of transmissions from Russia. Thus, the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons continues to be a concern in the international community. Under these circumstances, Japan, as the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war, has grave concerns about the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons, and has made strong appeals in international fora such as the UN and the G7, as well as in bilateral meetings with other countries, that Russia's threat of use of nuclear weapons, let alone the use of nuclear weapons, must not be tolerated. Russia's military actions at and near Ukraine's nuclear facilities are absolutely unacceptable, and Japan condemns Russia's actions in the strongest terms. Furthermore, based on the experience of the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Japan has supported efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure the safety and nuclear security of Ukraine's nuclear facilities.

The international order based on the rule of law, which is under threat by Russia's outrageous acts, is a public good that supports the peace and prosperity of not only the G7, but also the international community as a whole. Over the past year, in addition to the G7, Japan has deepened its relations with countries in ASEAN, South Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, Oceania, the Middle East, Africa, and the Latin American and the Caribbean region, and worked together with them to defend the international order. As a result of these efforts, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on October 12 condemning the illegal so-called “referendum” within Ukraine and Russia's attempted illegal “annexation,” as well as a resolution calling for peace in Ukraine on February 23, 2023. These resolutions respectively received the support of 143 and 141 countries, more than 70% of all UN member states. This clearly shows the will of the international community. Japan will strengthen its solidarity with the international community, including by urging countries that are not participating in sanctions against Russia, in order to show Russia that outrageous acts come at a high price and make it stop its aggression as soon as possible.

Based on this basic position, on March 21, 2023, Prime Minister Kishida made his first visit to Ukraine since the start of full-scale aggression by Russia and held a summit meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Ukraine under wartime conditions embodied Japan's belief that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific are inseparable, and sent a strong message to all the countries concerned. During the summit meeting, Prime Minister Kishida expressed respect for the courage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people for standing up to defend their homeland and freedom under the leadership of President Zelenskyy. He also conveyed Japan's unwavering support for and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and Japan's determination to defend the international order based on the rule of law as the country holding the G7 Presidency. The two leaders then agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation more than ever before, and released the “Joint Statement on Special Global Partnership Between Japan and Ukraine.” Prime Minister Kishida also directly observed the situation in Ukraine, including the damage suffered as a result of Russia's aggression.¹

This Special Feature looks back on Japan's position and efforts over the past year in response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine and its influences.

• 1 For more information on Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Ukraine in March 2023, see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website:
  https://www.mofa.go.jp/erp/c_see/page1e_000591.html