Japan and Ukraine have agreed to cooperate on judicial reforms and anti-corruption measures, as confirmed during Japanese Justice Minister Ryuji Koizumi’s first visit to Kyiv on 5 August. This agreement was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding by Koizumi and his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Maliuska, the Japan Times reports.
Japan’s aid for Ukraine totals over $12 billion since the onset of the full-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022, including a $4.5 billion this year.
The memorandum sets out plans for cooperation between the ministries, focusing on anti-corruption efforts, judicial reform, and enhancing judicial institutions through personnel training, according to Japan’s Justice Ministry.
Enhancing Ukraine’s judicial system and anti-corruption measures would improve transparency, facilitating operations for Japanese businesses in Ukraine, a Japanese judicial official told The Japan Times.
During his visit, Koizumi also paid respects at the war memorial in Bucha and surveyed damaged areas near Kyiv to assess the state of recovery and reconstruction.
This bilateral effort builds on the foundations laid at the Group of Seven summit in Italy, where Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first announced plans for Japan’s support in Ukraine’s anti-corruption measures and governance reforms.
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