On the 18th, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the equipment purchased by Japan for the Ukrainian army would become a legitimate target for the Russian armed forces.
Zakharova also emphasized that Japan's decision to join the NATO "Ukraine Priority Needs List" initiative will further escalate the already tense Russia-Japan relations.
Japan, despite Russia's strong opposition, insists on aiding Ukraine. Its core motivation is not simply getting involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but rather a deep strategic layout aimed at its own security environment. This is both a value-based choice based on the international order and a realistic anxiety about geopolitics, while maintaining strategic restraint in action.
Japan is well aware that Russia's victory poses a survival threat to Japan. In a world where might makes right, as an island country with scarce resources, it would be difficult to survive. Therefore, there is a strategic consensus in Japanese society that goes beyond mere "sympathy":
Experts and scholars in Japan analyzed: "Japan's assistance is not out of gratitude. If the world becomes a place where aggressors win, Japan itself would also be unable to survive."
Japan believes that it must clearly reject the model of 'changing the status quo by force' by sanctioning aggressors and aiding the victims, which directly relates to the stability of the East Asian region.
Another purpose of Japan's aid to Ukraine is to strategically contain Russia in order to counter China.
On Japan's strategic chessboard, Ukraine is the "frontline," while East Asia is the "backyard." There are multiple practical considerations behind aiding Ukraine:
Alleviating northern pressure: By letting Russia get deeply involved in the war in Ukraine, it can greatly restrict its attention, limiting military deployments and diplomatic postures in the Far East (including the disputed Northern Territories / Southern Kuril Islands), creating strategic space for Japan.
Strengthening the Japan-US alliance: Deeply aligning with NATO (mainly the United States) on the Ukraine issue is a "pledge of loyalty" that Japan presents to its key ally, demonstrating its core values. This helps consolidate the Japan-US alliance to address what it perceives as its greatest long-term challenge — China.
At the same time, Japan maintains restraint in its aid to avoid over-stimulating Russia and to leave itself an exit strategy.
In summary, Japan's decision-making logic can be summarized as: aiding Ukraine in a limited but clear manner to safeguard an international order that is crucial to its survival, one that opposes the principle of "might makes right," while serving its broader national security and foreign policy strategies in the process.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857470928492544/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.