Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry opened in Japan

The Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce has started operating in Japan, which will become a platform for developing cooperation between Ukrainian and Japanese enterprises. The organization is aimed at supporting Ukrainian business, promoting domestic goods, and cultural exchange.

You can learn more about the chamber's activities on the X and Facebook platforms.

Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce in Japan

The founders of the chamber of commerce emphasize that before its creation, similar structures did not exist in Japan, and this significantly complicated the development of business relations.

"In Japan, there was no Ukrainian chamber of commerce or platform through which Ukrainian business could enter the Japanese market. All issues were resolved through the embassy, but this is not one of its main functions," said Kateryna Yavorska, president of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan.

The idea of creating a chamber of commerce had been around since before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but the war greatly accelerated the process. After cooperation between Ukrainian government agencies and Japanese companies began, it became clear that a separate organization focused on business was needed.

"Our ambassador to Japan has implemented many successful projects to attract Japanese politicians and companies to cooperate with Ukraine. We also wanted to help Ukrainian entrepreneurs and contribute to the post-war reconstruction of the country," Yavorska noted.

The Chamber of Commerce was created through joint efforts of Ukrainians and Japanese, and is not a government organization. Currently, its activities are focused on four main areas:

• business development: promoting the entry of Ukrainian companies into the Japanese market and assistance with opening a business in Japan,
• cultural cooperation: organization of festivals and cultural events that promote Ukraine,
• educational forums: holding seminars and events to inform Ukrainian entrepreneurs about the Japanese market,
• IT industry: organizing a large seminar for the Ukrainian IT industry so that our specialists have a clear idea of how this sector works in Japan.

An event to mark the founding of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce will be held in Tokyo on January 31. Its representatives are already working on organizing business trips for Ukrainian entrepreneurs and companies to Expo 2025 in Osaka, which will include visits to the exhibition itself, thematic excursions to production facilities by industry, business meetings with Japanese partners, and a rich cultural program.

As a reminder, Ukraine received a tranche of $1 billion under the World Bank's Second Loan Program in support of the Development Policy Framework (DPL) from the governments of Japan and the United Kingdom.

Japan will also transfer another $3 billion to Ukraine, obtained from frozen Russian assets.