Japan’s pacifism limits expansion of military support to Ukraine – Professor Higashino

Atsuko Higashino, a professor at University of Tsukuba, said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to Higashino, Japanese attitudes toward Ukraine have seen both positive and negative changes since the start of the full-scale invasion.

“The positive aspect is that people who previously knew almost nothing about Ukraine have, through the invasion, learned its geography, history, and culture. Many have discovered or rediscovered Ukraine for themselves – from the Ukrainian origins of borscht to traditional clothing, such as the vyshyvanka,” the professor said.

At the same time, she noted that even after four years, some myths and misconceptions remain, such as the belief that “people in Donbas want to be part of Russia” or that “Russian speakers are essentially Russians.”

“For example, Pew Research Center surveys show that most Japanese see Russia as a threat. Sympathy for Ukraine certainly exists. But at the same time, Japan has very inward-looking anti-war sentiments and deeply rooted, self-centered pacifism – a ‘I don’t want to hear about a war over there’ mindset, a desire to distance oneself from the topic,” Higashino explained.

When asked whether Japanese attitudes toward providing military aid to Ukraine have changed, given Japan’s positioning as a “peaceful nation,” she said any changes have been minimal.

“I think Japan still has a very strong image that military aid is ‘bad’ or that it is intended to kill people. I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of supplying Ukraine with air defense systems. This is aid to protect hospitals, schools, and shopping centers from shelling, but I don’t think the basic concept of ‘air defense’ is widely understood in Japan,” she said.

Higashino stressed that Japan still helps Ukraine because a world in which aggressors prevail would be unsafe for Japan itself.

“Japan is not helping out of gratitude. If the world becomes a place where aggressors win, Japan itself cannot survive. That is why we impose sanctions on the aggressor and help the attacked country so it does not fall,” she said.

She added that Japan’s support is well-recognized internationally, though domestic attention to this international recognition is limited.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, the Japanese government has decided to join NATO’s initiative to supply Ukraine with U.S.-made ammunition and equipment, under which it will procure non-lethal gear for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.