On 28 November, Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetyana Berezhna held a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, Nakagome Masashi.
The parties discussed opportunities to further advance cooperation in culture, digitization of cultural heritage, and humanitarian policy, as well as continued support for Ukrainian cultural institutions through UNESCO mechanisms.
Tetyana Berezhna expressed her gratitude to Japan for its consistent support of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, particularly its assistance for cultural and technical projects. She emphasized that this year marked an important stage in bringing the Ukrainian and Japanese peoples closer together, especially through Ukraine’s participation in the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.
“I visited Japan three times this year, and each time I became even more convinced that our countries share common values and a mutual understanding of humanitarian priorities. I am grateful for your support of the Ukrainian pavilion, cultural projects, and the digitization of cultural heritage,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.
She presented the details of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund and highlighted Japan’s potential participation in the next stages of the travelling exhibition of Ukraine’s Expo 2025 pavilion. The importance of continued support for Ukrainian cultural institutions in cooperation with UNESCO was also underscored.
The Ambassador of Japan noted the positive dynamics of cultural cooperation between the two countries and the successful presentation of the Ukrainian pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka.
“We are pleased to support the development of Ukraine’s cultural heritage and stand ready to strengthen our cooperation,” he emphasized.
The Ambassador also stressed the importance of safeguarding Ukraine’s cultural heritage during wartime and confirmed Japan’s readiness to participate in upcoming cultural meetings and events. The parties agreed to hold expert consultations between Ukraine and Japan to define further steps in the protection and restoration of cultural heritage.
