On August 4, as part of her official visit to Japan, Acting Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, Tetyana Berezhna, held a series of high-level meetings in Tokyo — with Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Takeshi Iwai, and Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Katsura Miyazaki.
The discussions focused on Japan’s support for Ukraine in protecting its cultural heritage, addressing the consequences of russian aggression in the media sector, and strengthening cooperation within the newly established Cultural Resilience Alliance.
During her meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tetyana Berezhna expressed her gratitude to the Government of Japan for its comprehensive support of Ukraine, particularly through UNESCO projects. The parties discussed Ukraine’s priority needs in the field of cultural heritage preservation — including the restoration of damaged sites, specialist training, digitization efforts, and the construction of secure storage facilities for cultural property.
The Acting Minister invited Japan to join the Cultural Resilience Alliance and to support the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund — both initiatives launched during the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2025) in Rome. These efforts aim to ensure the long-term integration of the cultural sector into Ukraine’s post-war recovery process.
Special attention was given to the issue of preventing the illicit trafficking of cultural property. Tetyana Berezhna highlighted that more than 1.7 million artifacts remain in temporarily occupied territories and called for enhanced international sanctions against individuals and institutions involved in crimes against Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
In her meeting with JICA Vice President Katsura Miyazaki, the significant contribution of the Japanese side in supporting the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC) was acknowledged. In particular, under the ongoing second phase of the project, which runs through 2026, UA:PBC has received new technical equipment, mobile TV production units, and generators to maintain operations under wartime conditions.
The Ukrainian side also raised the issue of establishing a Technical Support Fund for Regional Media in Ukraine — especially critical in light of the recent suspension of U.S. (USAID) funding. This support is vital for the survival of local media outlets operating in frontline and recently de-occupied territories, which continue to suffer from constant attacks and resource shortages.
“We see Japan not just as a donor or partner, but as a true ally in the fight to preserve our identity. I am grateful for the solidarity shown by the Japanese people. I am confident that our dialogue will continue to evolve into new, even more ambitious joint projects”, emphasized Tetyana Berezhna.
