Ukrainian Lawmakers Seek Japanese Expertise For Postwar Reconstruction
Ukrainian parliamentary delegates have wrapped up their visit to Japan with a pledge to use what they have learned in Japan to rebuild their country after the war.
The parliamentarians arrived in Japan on October 15 for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February. They met Japanese lawmakers and government officials during their 12-day stay.
The group held a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday prior to their departure from Japan.
The head of the delegation, Galyna Mykhailiuk, thanked pledges of continued support for Ukraine from all sectors of Japan. She said Japan has proved to be a reliable partner and they appreciate all the help received.
Mykhailiuk said Russian missile attacks have destroyed 40 percent of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and she appealed for power generators and other supplies to overcome the winter.
Delegation member Yaroslav Zheleznyak is from the eastern city of Mariupol, which fell under Russian control in May after a fierce battle.
He expressed hope of visiting Japan again after Ukraine's victory to discuss a reconstruction plan. He said he wants to make Ukrainian cities beautiful again, just as Japan has recovered from World War Two and natural disasters.