Japan Press Weekly

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2023 March 22 - 28 [POLITICS]

JCP Shii comments on Kishida-Zelensky joint statement

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on March 23 said, in regard to a Japan-Ukraine joint statement, "It denounces Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a violation of the UN Charter and demands a full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. As these points are consistent with what a UNGA resolution calls for with the endorsement of more than 140 countries, the statement is reasonable."

Shii said this when asked by reporters in the Diet building about his view on Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Ukraine (March 21, local time).

Shii, however, expressed his objection to a deal reached between the two leaders during their summit meeting in Kyiv that Japan will make monetary contributions through a NATO trust fund for defense equipment to support Ukraine. He pointed out, "What Japan will offer is said to be 'non-lethal', but they are still weapons. Since they will be provided via NATO, I wonder how Japan can guarantee their 'non-lethality'. Japan should restrict itself to humanitarian aid and non-military assistance, and not militarily cooperate with NATO."

The press corps asked Shii if he wants to clarify in the Diet the process leading to PM Kishida's visit to Ukraine as well as the reason why the Diet was informed of his visit after it had happened. Shii responded, "I won't question the background of his visit itself as long as Diet discussions take place properly about such things."

Shii noted that the two leaders in their joint statement emphasize that "non-use of nuclear weapons must not be broken by Russia". He said, "Everyone agrees with that." Referring to the G7 Hiroshima Summit slated for this coming May, Shii said, "Japan as a host country needs to take the initiative in promoting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Only by taking a stance to establish a world without nuclear weapons can Japan send Russia a rock-solid message, 'Don't use nuclear weapons!' I will raise the importance of such a consistency in the current Diet session."