Kyiv, January 20, 2015. The Government of Japan will transfer $316.6 million to Ukraine in addition to the $1.5 billion aid package that Ukraine received in March 2014. Semi Shigeki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, told this during the press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “Ukraine will get both loans and grants. The bulk of it is a $300 million loan to supplement Ukraine’s foreign exchange reserves and pay other external liabilities. Another tranche of $16.6 million is a grant that for the restoration of devastated infrastructure in Donbas,” Japanese ambassador said.
Mr. Sumi Shigeki told that Japan is particularly interested in joint collaboration to develop energy projects in Ukraine that can secure energy independence for the country.
Ihor Umansky, Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine, noted of the successful history of cooperation between Ukraine and Japan. Mr. Umansky emphasized that joint energy projects will enable Ukraine to diversify its energy suppliers and provide an opportunity to use different sorts of coal.