At the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, negotiations were held with a delegation from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), headed by Ken Sasaji, Deputy Director-General of the Export and International Affairs Bureau of the Ministry.
On the Ukrainian side, the meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine Denys Bashlyk and representatives of the Ministry’s structural departments. The Japanese delegation included representatives of seven companies working in the fields of agricultural development and environmental protection.
During the talks, the parties discussed opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation in the following areas:
- implementation of innovative agricultural technologies for monitoring crop conditions using satellite data and artificial intelligence, which helps increase the productivity and resilience of Ukrainian farming;
- development of irrigation systems;
- introduction of robotic systems for vegetable cultivation and the use of organic fertilizers that improve soil fertility and plant resistance to diseases;
- export of Ukrainian honey, sunflower oil, sugar, and other agricultural products to the markets of Japan, the EU, and the United States;
- production of industrial refrigeration equipment;
- application of climate innovations for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions;
- production of water purification systems.
In addition, Denys Bashlyk appealed to representatives of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to expand access for Ukrainian products — particularly poultry meat — to the Japanese market.
Representatives of the Japanese Ministry noted the high level of expertise of Ukrainian specialists and the strong potential for expanding cooperation. The parties agreed to develop a joint roadmap to continue collaboration with Ukraine.
Deputy Minister Denys Bashlyk thanked the Japanese side for its comprehensive support of Ukraine’s agricultural sector and its assistance in recovery efforts.
“We are grateful to our Japanese partners for their active cooperation within the framework of the Japan–Ukraine Joint Working Group on Agricultural Recovery. Japan has been providing significant support to Ukrainian farmers for nearly four years, and we deeply appreciate that. Today’s meeting is not the first large-scale discussion with Japanese businesses, and I see great prospects for the future of our cooperation. In synergy with Japanese technologies, we can enhance the global competitiveness of Ukrainian agriculture,” emphasized Denys Bashlyk.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) is the central executive authority responsible for policy-making in the areas of agricultural production, rural development, forestry, and water resource management.
Cooperation between Ukraine and Japan in the agricultural sector has been actively developing since 2023, particularly through the Joint Working Group on the Recovery of Ukraine’s Agriculture.
