Japan Denies Refusing to Use Russian Assets to Finance Ukraine
According to the deputy minister, media reports were “completely untrue.”
The Gaze reports on it according to Dzerkalo tyzhnia.
The Japanese government has denied media reports that it rejected the European Union's request to join in using Russia's frozen assets to finance Ukraine. Deputy Minister of Finance for International Affairs Atsushi Mimura said that this was “completely untrue,” according to Reuters.
“Japan is acting in the interests of Ukraine based on our national interests,” Mimura said.
He stressed that one day Japan may face a similar situation in East Asia. Mimura controls monetary policy and coordinates economic policy with other countries.
The day before, Politico wrote that during a meeting of G7 finance ministers, Tokyo rejected Brussels' request to provide Ukraine with funds from Russian sovereign assets. It was reported that Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama ruled out the use of about $30 billion in frozen Russian assets to issue a loan to Kyiv, citing legal issues.
“Minister Katayama never made such comments (at the G7 meeting). She said at the meeting that Japan is preparing to take concrete steps to support (Ukraine),” Mimura said.
Europe is delaying its decision on a reparations loan for Ukraine, Belgium is stubbornly blocking the only opportunity to finance Ukraine's defense with Russian money, and Orbán continues to hold the EU hostage.
As the Gaze reported earlier Japan Declines EU Appeal to Tap Frozen Russian Assets for Ukraine.