Agro Perspectiva

Japan plans full-scale cooperation with Ukraine in economic and investment spheres

17.07.2014 09:26 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — Within this year cooperation between Ukraine and Japan has got activated, with this tendency to remain within the future, Government Portal reports referring to the Ukrainian First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Anatoliy Maksiuta report made on the meeting with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) representatives. As to report, Maksiuta thanked his Japanese counterparts for constructive and long-term cooperation in the frameworks of «Official Assistance for Developmet» program (which lasts for 17 years already) and also for the decision taken this year by the Japanese Government to provide a large-scale assistance to Ukraine (amounting to about US$1,5 milliard). The First Deputy Minister stressed that Ukraine is now experiencing a very responsible and important stage of development and therefore needs further cooperation strengthening with its partners. «I would like to thank the Japanese Government for its support. We have already practical results: as of July 10, an Intergovernmental Agreement on grant aid for the purchase of medical equipment for ¥ 350 milliard (US$3 million) was signed; besides, Agreements with the Japanese Government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency are planned to be signed on July 17 — what will provide funds for financing of the Ukrainian State budget in the amount of ¥ 10 milliard (approximately US$100 million),» Maksiuta admitted. At the same time, Tomofumi Nishinaha, the Director of the Third Department on Planning of Assistance to other Countries by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Bureau of International Cooperation, reminded that within this year March the Japanese Premier had declared about providing of aid package to Ukraine in the amount of US$ 150 million. Mr. Nishinaha also said that Japan considers improvement of the economic situation in Ukraine, the restoration of democracy and creation of the Ukrainian internal dialogue and unity to be the main areas of the Japan-Ukraine cooperation «We are ready to provide assistance to Ukraine in these areas. We plan to make the effort to assure that this assistance should expand and become as much useful as possible. The Japanese side hopes for the full-scale co-operation in the sphere of economics, including investment and private business development. Today’s meeting is a part of the economic mission which had been sent the Japanese Premier,» Tomofumi Nishinaha said. Mr. Nishinaha also added that the visits to Ukraine of the Japanese Foreign Minister, the Economy and Industry Minister and the Japanese business representatives (which are to take place within next year) had been also planned within the frameworks of this economic mission.