Civil Georgia
May 6, 2022

Japan’s Vice FM Visits Tbilisi

Vice Foreign Minister of Japan, Tarō Honda on May 3-4 visited Georgia, where he met the Economy Minister, Vice Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili, Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili, and deputy FM Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili.

The senior diplomat and the Georgian Economy Minister during their meeting on May 4 went over prospects to further develop bilateral economic ties, including in trade, energy, transportation, and communications, among others.

“Japan has a very big potential to invest in Georgia,” Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili said after the meeting.

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Also, the Economy Minister noted the sides touched upon Georgia’s potential for transit, “which becomes increasingly interesting for Japanese firms to connect with Europe.”

Also on May 4, Vice FM Honda and Georgian Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili attended a ceremony for the donation of USD 1.8 million worth of equipment by the Japan International Cooperation Agency to the Tbilisi Republican Hospital.

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Earlier on May 4, Vice FM Honda and Deputy FM Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili discussed the security environment globally and in the South Caucasus region, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated.

Speaking with the Georgian counterpart, the senior Japanese diplomat denounced Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, pledged Japan’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and asserted that Tokyo remains committed to supporting Tbilisi in development efforts.

Also on May 4, the Japanese diplomat sat down with local businessmen, stressing that strengthening relations with Japan is a promising option as Georgian companies begin to explore new markets amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Japanese Foreign Ministry noted.

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Interfax-Ukraine
May 7, 2022

Japanese defense minister: Confronting Russia will deter China

A strong international response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine is critical to deterring China from embarking on territorial conquests in Taiwan or the South China Sea, said Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.

“China has been carefully observing the current situation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and they are paying particularly close attention to what kind of reactions the international community has been taking,” Kishi told The Post during an interview in Washington on Thursday.

The top Japanese defense official said the global response would weigh heavily on Beijing and its “actions in the Asian region going forward.”

“If the international community somehow allows or condones Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, it might send a wrong message that such actions can be tolerated in other parts of the world, including the Indo-Pacific,” Kishi said.

Tokyo, which has historically shied away from conflicts outside of Asia, has joined the United States and the European Union in imposing multiple rounds of sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. The Japanese Defense Ministry has provided Ukraine with drones, bulletproof vests and humanitarian aid, and accepted evacuees from Ukraine using Japanese aircraft. Kishi said Japan “will continue as much support as we can to Ukraine.”