The press service of the Lviv City Council reports that on July 7, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi and Executive Vice President of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Nobutaka Maekawa, signed a memorandum of cooperation between the Lviv City Council and JETRO, marking the launch of the Japan Desk Lviv — a service supporting Japanese business in the city.
The service will provide personalized support to Japanese companies in Lviv, including consulting on investment and business establishment, partner search, and comprehensive introduction to the local economic environment.
The memorandum signing took place during a visit to Lviv by a delegation from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, JETRO, and representatives of 10 Japanese companies.
Mayor Sadovyi noted:
“Japanese businessmen representing well-known major companies have come to Lviv to establish cooperation with Ukraine today. They do not want to wait for the war to end, unlike most companies worldwide. This is extremely important because victories on the front require money, and money requires a functioning economy. I am very happy that our efforts to attract Japanese investments to Ukraine are yielding visible results, and today we open this Japanese business office in Lviv.”
JETRO’s Executive Vice President Maekawa emphasized that the memorandum signing and opening of Japan Desk Lviv sends a very important signal to Japanese business.
“The Japanese government and private business have long been interested in cooperation with Ukraine, which until now was mainly focused on Kyiv... But Ukraine is a large country, so we are interested in entering the western region to expand opportunities. Geographically, Lviv is farther from the combat zone, making it safer. We know many European partners are developing in Lviv and the region, so we are also interested in this opportunity... We thank you for the chance to be here today, meet your city’s business associations, enterprises, and projects, so cooperation between Japanese and Ukrainian companies can begin today,” said Maekawa.
Andriy Pavliv, head of the city’s Investment and Project Management Office, which will host the service, noted the main goal of Japan Desk Lviv is to give Japanese companies easy access to all relevant city services, contacts, and business opportunities, making entry to the Ukrainian market clear and efficient. A dedicated website, email, and phone number have been created specifically for Japanese businesses seeking information or consultations about doing business in Ukraine, local environment, and projects. The service will be managed by a coordinator fluent in Japanese, ensuring full support from initial consultations to organizing meetings with potential partners and site visits.
As part of the launch, the Japan Desk Lviv also presented a Program to Promote Japanese Investments in Lviv, covering areas such as economy and business; culture and education; tourism; and informational promotion. Its strategic goal is to make Lviv a gateway for Japanese investments in Ukraine, support recovery and innovation development, and enhance the positive international image of Lviv and Ukraine overall.
