Neither Ukraine nor Japan should accept a new international order in which the status quo is changed by force.
This was stated by Japan’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Masashi Nakagome, at the 6th Ukraine–Japan Forum, “Restoring a Rules-Based World Order: The Role of Ukraine and Japan in Global Security.”
He emphasized that Japan firmly opposes any unilateral attempt to alter the status quo by force—whether in Ukraine or in East Asia. The diplomat also stressed that the world is at a critical crossroads for global security. In his view, the rules-based international order faces unprecedented challenges, not only in Ukraine but in many other regions and in multiple forms.
“International rules are being challenged and, in some cases, violated. Inward-looking tendencies are spreading, while authoritarian regimes try to exploit this discord. In this difficult situation, even former champions of the rules-based order are proclaiming the end of an era,” Nakagome noted.
The Japanese ambassador is strongly opposed to countries accepting a new international order:
“Should we accept a world where the strong win and the weak submit? Absolutely not! Ukraine should not accept such a world, nor should Japan or any other country.”
He argued that the world has never been perfect, even after the end of the Cold War, but he distinguishes between recognizing challenges and surrendering to a “world of the strong.”
Nakagome considers it extremely important for the international order itself that Ukraine achieves a just and lasting peace.
