This content was published on April 19, 2022 – 08:38 April 19, 2022 – 08:38
TOKYO, 19 April (EFE).- Japan will provide Ukraine with masks and protective clothing against chemical weapons, as well as drones, the Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday, as part of aid to the country embroiled in a war with Russia.
The dispatch of this material comes at a time of growing fears of Moscow’s use of chemical weapons on Ukrainian territory in the course of the ongoing conflict, which will begin on the 24th in two months’ time.
“We will continue to provide Ukraine with the utmost support,” Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said today at a news conference where he made the announcement, local media including public broadcaster NHK reported.
When asked about the planned use of drones, Kishi explained that these devices are not considered defense equipment as they are commercial and have cameras built in, so the intention is to use them for surveillance and intelligence gathering tasks.
The material will be sent via commercial flights as soon as it is ready, the minister added.
Japan sent bulletproof vests, helmets and winter combat uniforms to Ukraine last March after revising its Defense Equipment Transfer Policy, which bans shipments of lethal materials and restricts shipments of defense equipment.
The decision on the new regulations comes after Kishi held a telematics meeting on the 13th with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov, who asked Tokyo for further help.
Also today, the advance veto against the import of 38 products from Russia, including vodka, came into force. The ban affects only 1.1% of Russian imports from Japan.
Tokyo, along with other countries in the international community, is imposing sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukrainian territory that sparked the conflict. These include freezing the assets of Russian citizens and companies, or exporting technology and other goods with war potential. EFE
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