Japan’s Support for Ukraine: Negotiations on Ammunition Supplies and Detours for Military Aid Deliveries

According to the information available to the WSJ, it is a matter of 155 millimeter projectiles.

Japanese law prohibits both direct arms deliveries to belligerent countries and deliveries through third countries. After World War II, Japan declared demilitarization and non-involvement in any future conflicts.

After Russia’s repeated invasion of Ukraine, Japan has supported Western countries, joined their sanctions against Russia and openly expressed support for Kyiv, but it has to find detours for military aid deliveries.

According to the WSJ, negotiations on ammunition supplies are taking place in accordance with an agreement concluded in 2016, which allows Japan and the United States to exchange ammunition as part of a long-term defense alliance.

Previously, a way was found to sell Japanese artillery explosives to the US for delivery to Ukraine, but the explosives are dual-use items that are not so tightly regulated by the ban.