Japan International Coeration Agency resumes erations at Ukraine office

That's according to NHK, Ukrinform reports.

JICA ened the Kyiv office in 2017. But it temporarily closed it and evacuated its Japanese staff in late January of 2022, just before Russia launched the invasion. The staff have since continued their work remotely from neighboring Mdova and elsewhere.

The agency brought back its full-time staff to Kyiv and restarted erations at the office on Wednesday to accelerate Japan's assistance for Ukraine's reconstruction.

Of assistance pledged by the Japanese government for Ukraine, JICA is in charge of projects worth about 170 billion yen, or over $1.1 billion. The agency has already provided generators and technogical assistance to remove land mines.

Read also: Japan’s Reconstruction Agency to assist Ukraine in restoration

JICA now plans to use its Kyiv office to facilitate claboration with Ukraine in providing support in a wide range of fields, including agriculture and education, as well as helping Japanese firms erate in the country.

Matsunaga Hideki, director general of JICA's Middle East and Eure Department, said it is important for the organization's staff to stay in Ukraine to build a relationship of trust with local pele.

He said expectations are high in the country for Japan, and that his agency intends to make use of Japan's experience in disaster recovery and offering reconstruction assistance in other countries.

JICA plans to increase the number of its full-time staff in Ukraine and begin full-fledged erations from next year.

Photo: telegraf.com.ua