Japanese PM Kishida to meet Zelensky in US, media report

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida departed on Sept. 21 for his four-day tour in the U.S., where he will reportedly meet President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Kishida is expected to convey Japan's intention to continue supporting Kyiv and imposing sanctions against Russia during the meeting.

Zelensky is soon heading to the U.S. to attend the 79th U.N. General Assembly in New York and present a five-point victory plan to the American leadership. Ukraine’s Presidential Office has not announced the meeting with Kishida yet.

This will be Kishida’s final work trip to the U.S. before stepping down as the Japanese prime minister. He’s also expected to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and attend the U.N. General Assembly, among other events.

Since March 2022, Japan has committed over $12 billion in humanitarian, economic, and other assistance to Ukraine.

Under a security agreement signed in June, Tokyo pledged to provide Ukraine with an additional $4.5 billion in 2024 and continue supporting the country throughout the next 10 years.