Japan’s Kishida visits Bucha massacre site in solidarity with Ukraine

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida toured the war-torn town in an unannounced trip and pledged support for Ukraine to regain peace

Kishida’s arrival in Kyiv coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits a mass grave in Ukraine’s Bucha on March 21. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:03pm, 21 Mar 2023Updated: 10:18pm, 21 Mar 2023

Japan’s Fumio Kishida arrived in Kyiv for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, a rare, unannounced visit by a Japanese leader that underscored Tokyo’s emphatic support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

Kishida had been the only leader of the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations who had not visited Ukraine, which has seen an outpouring of popular support in Japan following the Russian invasion in February last year.

He toured the town of Bucha, where the mayor has said more than 400 civilians were killed last year by Russian forces and which has since become synonymous with Russian brutality during the war. He laid a wreath outside a church before observing a moment of silence and bowing.

“The world was astonished to see innocent civilians in Bucha killed one year ago. I really feel great anger at the atrocity upon visiting that very place here,” Kishida said.

“I would like to give condolence to the all victims and the wounded on behalf of the Japanese nationals. Japan will keep aiding Ukraine with the greatest effort to regain peace.”

Kishida’s trip coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Russia. In what appeared to be a response to Kishida’s tour, Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that two of its strategic bomber planes flew over the Sea of Japan for more than seven hours.