Press Releases
The Attack on the Port of Odesa (Statement by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa)
July 24, 2022
- Japan strongly condemns the attack by Russia on the port of Odesa on July 23.
- On the very previous day (July 22), the United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia had agreed to resume grain exports from Ukraine through the Black Sea, and it is supposed that all Parties involved should implement necessary steps swiftly for the resumption of grain exports from Ukraine. The attack ruins these efforts toward improving the situation, including the mediation efforts of the United Nations and Turkey, and seriously undermines its credibility in the implementation of the latest agreement.
- Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is the root cause of the current difficulties in exporting Ukrainian grain and the resulting worsening of the global food crisis, for which Russia bears full responsibility. We strongly urge Russia to fulfill its responsibility to improve the situation, including the implementation of the four-party agreement between the United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.