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▼ Japan And Ukraine Agree To Cooperate On Anti-Corruption Measures
- Category:Event
Japan will support Ukraine in its judicial reforms and fight against corruption, the two countries agreed Monday.
Justice Minister Ryuji Koizumi, who is Japan’s first justice minister to visit Ukraine, met with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Maliuska in Kyiv on Monday morning ahead of the signing of the memorandum of cooperation.
During Koizumi’s trip, the two countries have agreed to strengthen direct communication at the administrative level between the two ministries.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Japan did not respond to a request for comment.
In an accord signed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Italy in June, Japan had stated that it would assist with anti-corruption measures and governance reforms as part of its efforts to support Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
The newly signed memorandum outlines efforts to develop mutual cooperation between the two ministries across various fields, including anti-corruption work, judicial reform and the strengthening of judicial institutions via personnel training, according to the Justice Ministry.
While the new initiative isn’t specifically aimed at improving business conditions for Japanese companies, a Justice Ministry official noted, improving Ukraine’s judicial system and anti-corruption work would enhance transparency, thereby making it easier for Japanese businesses to enter the market.
Despite recent improvements, corruption in Ukraine remains a hurdle to the former Soviet state winning greater international support, as well as its bid to join the European Union. Oleksii Reznikov, a former defense minister who was in the post during the onset of Russia’s invasion, was dismissed in September 2023 amid several corruption scandals.
Ukraine’s Security Services revealed earlier this year that it had discovered a $39 million embezzlement scheme committed by the country’s defense officials in relation to ammunition purchases. A senior defense official was suspended in February, and investigations continue.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, Japan has provided Ukraine with financial and humanitarian aid worth over $12 billion, including a $4.5 billion support package this year.
An official at Japan’s Justice Ministry said they were unable to answer a question about whether the ministry is aware of any of the country’s aid to Ukraine being embezzled.
Koizumi entered Ukraine from Poland by train early Monday morning. On Tuesday, he is set to return to Warsaw, where he is expected to meet with his Polish counterpart and members of related institutions.
In Ukraine, Koizumi paid respects at the war memorial in Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv, and visited damaged areas near the capital to observe the current state of recovery and reconstruction, according to the Justice Ministry. He is also expected to visit The Hague on Thursday and meet with International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane, before returning to Japan on Friday.
Cabinet ministers have been visiting Ukraine one after another, including Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and education minister Masahito Moriyama, who made a trip just last month.
Justice Minister Ryuji Koizumi, who is Japan’s first justice minister to visit Ukraine, met with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Maliuska in Kyiv on Monday morning ahead of the signing of the memorandum of cooperation.
During Koizumi’s trip, the two countries have agreed to strengthen direct communication at the administrative level between the two ministries.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Japan did not respond to a request for comment.
In an accord signed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Italy in June, Japan had stated that it would assist with anti-corruption measures and governance reforms as part of its efforts to support Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
The newly signed memorandum outlines efforts to develop mutual cooperation between the two ministries across various fields, including anti-corruption work, judicial reform and the strengthening of judicial institutions via personnel training, according to the Justice Ministry.
While the new initiative isn’t specifically aimed at improving business conditions for Japanese companies, a Justice Ministry official noted, improving Ukraine’s judicial system and anti-corruption work would enhance transparency, thereby making it easier for Japanese businesses to enter the market.
Despite recent improvements, corruption in Ukraine remains a hurdle to the former Soviet state winning greater international support, as well as its bid to join the European Union. Oleksii Reznikov, a former defense minister who was in the post during the onset of Russia’s invasion, was dismissed in September 2023 amid several corruption scandals.
Ukraine’s Security Services revealed earlier this year that it had discovered a $39 million embezzlement scheme committed by the country’s defense officials in relation to ammunition purchases. A senior defense official was suspended in February, and investigations continue.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022, Japan has provided Ukraine with financial and humanitarian aid worth over $12 billion, including a $4.5 billion support package this year.
An official at Japan’s Justice Ministry said they were unable to answer a question about whether the ministry is aware of any of the country’s aid to Ukraine being embezzled.
Koizumi entered Ukraine from Poland by train early Monday morning. On Tuesday, he is set to return to Warsaw, where he is expected to meet with his Polish counterpart and members of related institutions.
In Ukraine, Koizumi paid respects at the war memorial in Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv, and visited damaged areas near the capital to observe the current state of recovery and reconstruction, according to the Justice Ministry. He is also expected to visit The Hague on Thursday and meet with International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane, before returning to Japan on Friday.
Cabinet ministers have been visiting Ukraine one after another, including Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and education minister Masahito Moriyama, who made a trip just last month.
- August 5, 2024
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