Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrived in Kyiv on Saturday to discuss North Korea’s deepening military ties with Russia, including the deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine. During his visit, Iwaya is set to meet Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha to reaffirm Japan’s unwavering support for Ukraine and explore further sanctions against Russia, Japan’s Foreign Ministry stated.
Tokyo has expressed “grave concern” over the growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. Intelligence from the U.S., South Korea, and Ukraine indicates that up to 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia under a defense pact. Ukrainian officials recently reported skirmishes between North Korean and Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk border region following a Ukrainian artillery offensive in early August. The defense treaty obligates both Russia and North Korea to provide immediate military assistance if either comes under attack.
Iwaya’s arrival coincided with a wave of Russian drone attacks on Kyiv, targeting residential areas and infrastructure in the Obolon district. No casualties were reported. Ukrainian air defenses neutralized 55 of the 83 Shahed drones launched by Russia, while others were jammed electronically or veered off course, according to the Ukrainian air force.
Russia’s Defense Ministry countered, claiming to have destroyed 35 Ukrainian drones, including 20 over Kursk and 11 over Bryansk regions.
The visit underscores Japan’s concern about escalating regional threats and its commitment to supporting Ukraine amid ongoing hostilities.
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