Press Conferences
Extraordinary Press Conference by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa
Tuesday, August 23, 2022, 10:54 a.m. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Japanese
Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs: Today, relevant ministers gathered for a meeting headed by the Prime Minister, reaffirmed our shared recognition of the current situation in Ukraine, and discussed the government’s overall response going forward.
As part of each minister’s briefing to the Prime Minister, I stated that it is necessary for Japan, as next year’s G7 Presidency, to continue to impose severe sanctions against Russia and provide support for Ukraine, in coordination with the international community, including the G7. I also stated that the Prime Minister and I have been actively engaged in dialogue with India, Southeast Asia, and others to protect the principles of international order. In addition, we have agreed on the importance of actively engaging in such initiatives, taking advantage of opportunities presented by fora such as TICAD8 and the United Nations General Assembly. Furthermore, I stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to exert every effort to support and protect Japanese residents in Russia and Ukraine.
The Prime Minister issued instructions to continue our diplomatic response such as imposing sanctions against Russia in close cooperation with the G7, to actively support Ukraine and other relevant parties, to ensure a stable supply of energy, to protect every Japanese national overseas without omission, and to ensure the readiness of Japan’s defense structure while taking into account recent developments.
Based on the Prime Minister’s instructions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to stay on guard and exert every effort to address the issues of sanctions against Russia, support for Ukraine, and the protection of Japanese residents overseas.