JAKARTA - Japan on Tuesday sent bullet-proof vests and helmets from its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to Ukraine, a rare shipment of equipment to a country undergoing armed attacks.
The delivery of SDF supplies reflects Japan's increased commitment to assist Ukraine amid Russian aggression, coming after the government revised its guidelines on the transfer of defense equipment to allow deliveries.
A KC-767 refueling and air transport plane carrying supplies left Komaki Air Self-Defense Force Base, at midnight Tuesday for Poland.
Other non-lethal items, including tents, winter clothing, emergency food, hygiene products, cameras, and power generators, will be delivered as soon as they are ready, according to the Defense Ministry.
"We will deliver the goods by SDF aircraft and through other means as soon as possible," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference, quoted from Kyodo News March 9.
Japan does not plan to provide lethal weapons, Matsuno said, drawing a clear line with the United States and European countries moving to help Ukraine bolster its defenses.
The government's top spokesman said it was "very important" for Japan and its national security, to extend support to Ukraine while responding decisively with other countries to Russian aggression.
Matsuno further said Russia's onslaught violated international law and had "shaken the international order to its core."
Japan strongly condemns the Russian invasion, saying it has undermined Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as the attack has entered its second week despite international condemnation and sanctions. In addition to sending defense supplies, the government has promised to take in people fleeing Ukraine.
Within the confines of the pacifist Constitution, Japan has three overarching principles that determine when overseas transfers of its defense equipment should be prohibited and permitted. Receiving countries are obliged to ensure proper control over equipment shipped by Japan.
Separately, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said the delivery of the goods was to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people who continue to resist the Russian invasion, saying Japan would provide as much support as possible.
"The provisions are part of efforts to bring peace and security to the world and fulfill the objectives of the three principles," Kishi told reporters.
The guidelines state how the principles should be applied in practice, and the latest version, approved Tuesday, says equipment commissioned by the defense minister under SDF law could be given to "Ukraine, which has been attacked in violation of international law."
Some lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party want revisions to the guidelines, to open up the possibility of future shipments of defense equipment to other countries and regions, given rising tensions between Taiwan and China.
The Ukraine crisis has echoed beyond Europe, prompting Japan to say any unilateral changes to the status quo by force should not be allowed in East Asia. Beijing regards self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland by force if necessary.
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To note, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reviewed Japan's embargo on arms exports in 2014 and adopted current principles on the transfer of defense equipment. Delivery of defense supplies to 'party to the conflict' countries is prohibited by law.
The Japanese government is of the view that the term, meaning "a country in which the UN Security Council takes action to maintain or restore international peace and security in the event of an armed attack," does not apply to Ukraine.
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