Russia summons Japanese ambassador over Ukraine drone deal
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Russia on April 8 summoned Akira Muto, Japan's ambassador to Moscow, to protest a recent deal between a Japanese company and a Ukrainian drone producer, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Tokyo-based firm Terra Drone in late March became the first Japanese company to invest in Ukraine's defense sector, announcing a partnership with the Ukranian manufacturer Amazing Drones. The investment marks a significant policy shift for Japan.
Moscow views the investment as "hostile," according to the Russian Foreign Ministry's statement.
In the protest note to Muto, the Kremlin said that Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian territory "provide grounds to regard (Terra Drone's investment) as overtly hostile." The ambassador was also told that relations between Russia and Japan "have reached an all-time low."
"(I)f the Japanese side is genuinely interested in resuming interstate dialogue, it must demonstrate this aspiration not in words but through concrete actions and practical steps."
While Japanese companies have long eyed Ukraine's drone sector from afar, the government strongly discouraged investors from even visiting Ukraine. But amid the global rise in drone warfare — and security threats from neighboring Russia, China, and North Korea — Japan has increased defense spending, with its largest-ever budget in 2026 coming in at 9.04 trillion yen ($58 billion).
The budget allocates 100 billion yen ($629 million) for drone defense systems specifically.
Although Japan's post-World War II constitution restricts the provision of lethal military aid to foreign countries, Tokyo remains one of Ukraine's top supporters, with around $15 billion worth of total aid (mostly financial and humanitarian) sent and another $3.5 billion committed, according to a December 2025 report by OSW.
Japan has also joined international allies in imposing sanctions against Russia due to its ongoing war in Ukraine.
