Ukraine Japan Relations: Ukrainian President to Visit Japan and Meet the Emperor

KIEV, Ukraine, January 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych will pay an official visit to Japan on January 18-20, 2011. The visit of the Ukrainian leader is aimed at further strengthening friendly relations between the two nations.

The Ukrainian President plans to have an audience with His Imperial Majesty the Emperor Akihito while in Tokyo. Victor Yanukovych is also scheduled to meet Naoto Kan, the Prime Minister of Japan; Takahiro Yokomichi, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan and Takeo Nishioka, the President of the House of Councilors of Japan. It is also planned that Viktor Yanukovych will take the floor during the business forum at the headquarters of the Japan Business Federation "Keidanren". On January 19-21 the President will visit Kyoto and Osaka, meeting the leaders of both cities to discuss regional cooperation. Viktor Yanukovych will also give a speech at the Kyoto University on the current situation in Ukraine.

The objective of this visit is to intensify the bilateral political dialogue at the highest level. It is intended to expand the scientific and technological, cultural, trade and economic cooperation, particularly through the involvement of financial, technological and investment potential of Japan within the Ukrainian economy and development of its infrastructure, according to the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration Serhiy Liovochkin.

Liovochkin has also highlighted that the visit of the Ukrainian President to Japan is expected to initiate a number of bilateral agreements. It is planned to make a joint statement on Ukraine-Japan's global partnership and Loan Agreement between the State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine (Ukreximbank) and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation regarding opening the second line of credit. The leaders of both countries will also discuss the possibility of other major projects within the framework of Ukraine's preparation to host the EURO-2012 finals.

According to the data of the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine, the total volume of bilateral trade grew 42.2% during the first ten months of 2010 compared to the same period of 2009. Export of Ukrainian goods to Japan surged by 19.1%. The amount of Japan's direct investments into Ukraine has increased by 12.6%, as of 1 October 2010.