The Japanese government has strongly rejected reports suggesting that Tokyo does not support plans to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. Authorities in Tokyo called the information circulated by some media outlets false, Reuters reports.
“Completely False”
Japanese Deputy Finance Minister for International Affairs Atsushi Mimura told reporters that claims Japan had refused to participate are incorrect. He emphasized that the government continues to support Ukraine, guided by national interests and security considerations.
This is completely false, Mimura said, explaining the situation.
According to Mimura, Japan is ready to take concrete steps in support of Ukraine and coordinates its actions with G7 partners. He also stressed that Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama never made the statement attributed to her.
Previous Reports
Earlier, some media outlets reported that Japan had allegedly declined to back the EU proposal to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine’s needs. The reports claimed that during a G7 finance ministers’ meeting, Tokyo supposedly dampened Brussels’ initiative. They also said that Katayama allegedly stated that Japanese law would not allow the use of these funds. Reuters notes that the Japanese government directly denied these claims, calling them false.
Disputes Over Frozen Assets
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western countries have frozen roughly $210 billion in Russian state assets. About $30 billion of that is held in Japan, with the remainder mostly in European banks, particularly Belgium’s Euroclear. The use of these assets to support Ukraine remains under discussion among G7 members, raising complex legal and political questions.
Earlier, the European Commission proposed that EU countries provide Ukraine with a reparations loan backed by frozen Russian assets. For this measure to be approved, unanimous support from all EU member states is required. The initiative is currently blocked by Belgium, which has expressed concerns about potential risks.
Conclusion
The Japanese government confirmed that it has not withdrawn from cooperation and is preparing concrete steps to support Ukraine. The vice minister emphasized that Japan’s position remains unchanged. The country continues to provide assistance and coordinate actions with international partners. This is despite misleading media reports.
