Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Saturday, where he was scheduled to meet with his counterpart and others to convey Japan’s continued support for Kyiv amid the ongoing Russian invasion, according to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo.
Iwaya’s unannounced trip comes amid growing fears about the conflict’s expansion following North Korea’s dispatch of more than 10,000 troops to Russia for combat operations against Ukrainian forces.
The foreign minister, who took up his post last month, will convey “serious concern” about the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including Pyongyang’s dispatch of troops, the Foreign Ministry said.