Disasters and conflicts occur frequently around the world. The news is updated daily, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has not yet ended. Two years have passed since the start of the invasion, and journalist Akira Ikegami and we discuss “what is happening in Ukraine” and “why Japan should support Ukraine”. The article and video will be presented here.
(This article is based on a trilogy discussion held at the end of April and has been reorganized.)
Journalist Akira Ikegami (center), Yevtushk Igor (left), a Ukrainian and vice president of KRAIANY (Ukraine-Japan Friendship Association), a non-profit organization, and Hideki Matsunaga, head of JICA Ukraine office, discussed
Even people’s lives and memories are being destroyed.
Ikegami What is the current situation in Ukraine?
Matsunaga: Since January of this year, I have been living in the capital city of Khiu to support Ukraine, and the frequency of shelter evacuations has been increasing. Initially, it was about 2 or 3 times a month, but recently it is about 2 or 3 times a week. We are in a situation where we continue to live and work while in the shelter*.
Ikegami I see a deliberate policy in Russia’s recent attacks to destroy the lives of the Ukrainian people, especially by destroying their power plants and other infrastructure, in an attempt to demoralize them.
The number of shelter evacuations has decreased again as of June 2024.
Akira Ikegami
Journalist and professor at Meijo University and Tokyo Institute of Technology. He worked as a reporter and newscaster at NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) before going independent in 2005. Since then, he has been active in various media, including television and newspapers. He is well versed in the latest developments in the world and has done extensive reporting on Ukraine, including a feature article on Nikkei Business Online titled “Ukraine, the Future of the World, and Us” under the auspices of JICA.
Matsunaga: In addition to power-related facilities, port facilities and municipal facilities tend to be attacked. Regarding port facilities, Ukraine is using a new export route from the Black Sea through the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria to restore exports of grains and other commodities, while making it harder for Russia to attack. So they are trying to stop the export function by attacking the ports of the major export hubs.
Ikegami I see. Romania and Bulgaria are members of NATO, so Russia cannot touch them. So they are going to attack them before they get there. Igor, it is especially heartbreaking to see the reality of the infrastructure being destroyed.
Igor Yes, that’s right. And when we say “infrastructure was destroyed” or “a missile hit somewhere and destroyed a civilian facility,” it is not just any facility or building. They are places that hold memories for us Ukrainians, such as our parents’ homes, the path to school, the hospital where our children were born, and so on. When such places are attacked and destroyed, we feel as if we are being mentally destroyed.
Ievtushuk Igor
Vice President of KRAIANY (Ukraine-Japan Friendship Association), a non-profit organization. Born in Lyubomly, western Ukraine, she graduated from the Department of Japanese Language at the National Linguistic University of Khiwo and supported Japanese media as an interpreter during the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014. While working for an IT company, he serves as vice president of a non-profit organization that supports Ukraine from Japan.
To protect Ukraine’s history, culture and identity
Ikegami That is exactly what I mean, even memories are being destroyed. In terms of language, in the eastern part of Ukraine, some people speak Russian, and in the western part, some people speak Hungarian. The country is like a mosaic in terms of languages.
Igor The Ukrainian language has been banned many times in the past, including when it became part of the Soviet Union. They deliberately tried to erase the Ukrainian identity. To work in academia or in government, you had to speak Russian to make a career, and the effect of this was that fewer and fewer people spoke Ukrainian. There was even a sense of shame in speaking Ukrainian. However, the Euro-Maidan Revolution of 2013 changed the public’s mindset dramatically. People woke up and realized that they must make efforts to preserve Ukrainian history, the Ukrainian language, and the identity of Ukraine.
Euro Maidan, a civil movement in Ukraine in 2013. It led to the collapse of the pro-Russian regime and the establishment of a pro-Western government. It is also known as the “Revolution of Dignity.” The photo shows citizens demonstrating at Independence Square in the capital city of Khiu. Photo by Yevtusk Igor.
Ikegami So this war is also a battle to protect our identity as Ukrainians, how to protect Ukrainian culture.
Igor That is correct. One of the key points we emphasize, especially to Japanese people who are highly interested in food, is that “Ukrainian cuisine is borscht.
Ikegami So borscht is not a Russian dish, but a Ukrainian dish. Actually, I went to a famous ethnic restaurant in Kieu in the 1990s, and that is when I learned that borscht is a Ukrainian dish.
Matsunaga: Speaking of restaurants, the level of restaurants in Kieu is extremely high. As a matter of fact, restaurants and other stores are now operating normally in Khiu and other cities as well. Of course, if there is an air raid warning, people will evacuate, but I see a strong will among Ukrainians to live a normal life as much as possible and not to give in to Russian threats, even in the midst of this war.
Igor In everyday life, we can have a sense of being alive. It is very dangerous in a situation where it is impossible for missiles to fly at any time now. But even in such a situation, I create a barrier to keep my mental state as much as possible.
Hideki Matsunaga
Director of JICA’s Ukraine Office. After working for Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), he served as Director of Egypt Office, World Bank, and Director of Middle East and Europe Department before assuming his current position in January 2024.
To build a future for our children, even if the future is uncertain.
Ikegami I understand that you are 33 years old now, Igor. Do you ever wonder what you will be doing when you turn 40 or 50, for example?
Igor: This war has made it impossible for us to think and plan for the future. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, so I’ve decided to do everything I can to stop the war that is happening right now in front of me. We are just going to do the tasks in front of us. Many Ukrainians have also told me so.
Ikegami You studied Japanese in Ukraine and then came to Japan, and you had dreams of what you wanted to do in the future. War also robs young people of their dreams, doesn’t it?
Igor Yes, that is true. But we need to create a future for our children in 5 or 10 years. We are running a facility for displaced people close to the front line, and shockingly, there are children who cannot read and write properly. They are not getting an education because of the corona, and that’s how this invasion started all over again.
Matsunaga: Children miss out on educational opportunities. It is something that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Right now, millions of Ukrainians are displaced at home and abroad, and JICA is providing distance learning equipment so that they can still receive an education. The people of Ukraine will be at the core of the future reconstruction, so we will continue to provide support that will be especially helpful to children and young people.
Ukrainian children learning with PCs provided by JICA
Not only to help, but also to be a global human resource.
Igor: Our NPO also supports Ukrainian refugees in Japan, but our goal is not only to support them but also to develop them into global human resources. We want them to become people who can contribute something to society, not people who are supported all the time. We have created a win-win situation in many ways: by creating a café within the educational process, profits are donated to Ukraine, Ukrainians can work independently for Ukraine, and Ukrainian culture can be introduced at the café and at events.
Event to embroider Ukrainian maps Borscht served at the cafe (all photos courtesy of NPO KRAIANY)
Ikegami So you are not just helping them because they are refugees or because you feel sorry for them, but you are nurturing them as global human resources. For Ukrainians, it would be better if they could be active as global human resources rather than simply being helped. I think the real support is to create such a place.
Igor JICA has been making various efforts to support Ukraine’s infrastructure by sharing its know-how. JICA also plays an important role in developing Ukrainians into global human resources, for example, by providing training in IT skills for Ukrainians who have taken refuge in Poland.
Matsunaga: As is the case with IT skills training, JICA attaches great importance to the two-way relationship between Japan and Ukraine, and cooperates with neighboring countries such as Poland and Moldova, which host displaced Ukrainian citizens. And now JICA is also cooperating with Ukraine in landmine clearance, in cooperation with Cambodia. We believe that one of the important points of our support is to create momentum for support for Ukraine around the world.
Ikegami In Cambodia, in particular, there has been a civil war for a long time and a large number of landmines remain, and JICA has been steadily cooperating in mine clearance and human resource development for this purpose. This know-how has been useful in Ukraine as well. So there is such a form of cooperation.
IT skills training conducted by JICA in Poland Demining training conducted by JICA in Cambodia for Ukrainian government officials
Why do you support us? It is to protect the peace of Japan and the world, and modern civilization.
Ikegami When it comes to supporting Ukraine, some in the U.S. say, “It is better to support the U.S. first than to support Ukraine. Even though Japan is not as outspoken as the U.S., there are those who say, “Japan is also in dire financial straits, so why are we supporting Ukraine?
Matsunaga: I think such voices will be heard not only in Japan and the United States. However, on the other hand, we should not forget that after World War II, Japan received support from the world, including the World Bank, when it was rebuilding after the war. Japan was able to recover thanks to the support for the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train, highways, and even some of Toyota Motor Corporation’s factories. In addition, after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, we have received donations and support in excess of 200 billion yen from all over the world. We should not forget that our current daily life and peace are made possible by the support we have received from various countries around the world when crises have occurred.
Igor, Russia’s invasion is an attempt to overturn the peaceful democratic society we live in, a society where we can live together in mutual respect. If Russia succeeds in its aggression, it will not just mean that “Ukraine has lost,” but it will set a bad precedent that the status quo can be changed by force against other countries. This is not just a problem for Ukraine, but for the whole world. It may be a big word, but I believe that the survival of modern civilization is at stake.
Ikegami In order to protect democracy and the values we hold dear today after the war, the international community as a whole must not allow unilateral aggression by other countries. The consequences of such an invasion would affect Japan as well.
© Source JICA
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.