Japanese Slam Government Aid to Ukraine, Say Domestic Needs Are Priority

More and more Japanese citizens are question Tokyo's pledge of financial aid to Ukraine amid the the plight of the victims affected by the recent devastating magnitude-7.6 earthquake that hit the Noto peninsula on January 1.

Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa made an unexpected trip to Ukraine last Sunday to assure Volodymyr Zelensky of Tokyo's ongoing commitment to provide financial support for the Ukrainian cause.

But there is growing distaste and scetpicism among the Japanese people about the nation's involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.

During her trip, Kamikawa assured Ukraine of Japan's support, pledging 5.4 billion Japanese Yen ($37 million) for a advanced drone-detection system and extra power-generating units.

The news garnered substantial attention in the Japanese media, coming on the heels of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's commitment last December of $4.5 billion to Ukraine.

While a GlobeScan survey in October 2023 showed 77 percent of Japanese backed their country's aid to Ukraine, opinion has hardened against Kamikawa's new pledged.

Popular criticism of the spending has swollen significantly in the wake of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the Noto peninsula on the start of the year, causing more than 202 deaths and leaving over 100 people missing. About 30,000 evacuees are being housed in schools, with concerns rising about potential disease outbreaks.

A recent article published by Jiji Press sparked a wave of negative comment from readers about Japan's support for Ukraine.

“Why are you going to Ukraine now? Do you know what's happening in Japan right now? The disaster area should be the most important. It should be time for the foreign minister to seriously consider and implement countermeasures that he can experience from his own experience as a senior government official by visiting the disaster-affected areas on the ground,” one comment read.

Another wrote: “Nowadays, I think it's out of place for the Prime Minister and ministers to travel abroad and provide large sums of aid wherever they go, rather than the Noto Earthquake disaster countermeasure budget.”

"What do you mean by 5.4 billion yen for Ukraine? It should be used for the victims of the Noto earthquake before being sent to Ukraine. Does the Kishida administration value Ukraine more than its own people?" writes another reader.

Aligning with the sentiments of the Republicans in the US, an article on JapanToday articulated, “This is completely crazy and stupid. Why does Japan want to waste $37 million in a war that doesn’t belong to Japan?...Look at the disaster of the earthquake, the elderly, the children. Japanese people need ASAP those $37 million in government help instead of the Kiev regime."

Others commented that a significant portion of the aid meant for Ukraine is being misused by corrupt Ukrainian officials. An individual said they had evidence indicating that a top official in Zelensky's team invested heavily in a property in Germany.

A Ukraine-born resident in Japan, who pleaded anonymity, told This Week in Asia that there was a noticeable drop in support for the conflict among his Japanese friends. “My sense is that they are getting tired of being involved in something that could go on and on for a long time...There was enthusiasm for the resistance at the beginning, but when it becomes a long and hard struggle, people tend to think of their own problems first,” he said.

Yakov Zinberg, an international relations professor at Tokyo's Kokushikan University, has observed a shift in Japanese views. He noted that many now doubt Ukraine can win and question sending aid to Kiev, especially with more pressing issues in Japan. those feelings has grown notably since the earthquake, with criticisms that Tokyo has inadequately supported the affected areas.