Japan to give Ukraine biofuel technology to support reconstruction
05.02.2024 11:54:28
KYODO NEWS KYODO NEWS - Jan 4, 2024 - 10:56 | All, World, Japan
Japan plans to provide Ukraine with biofuel manufacturing technology to support reconstruction efforts of the Eastern European country torn by the war with Russia, Japanese government sources said Wednesday.
The plan will be presented at a meeting in Tokyo next month of officials from the two countries' public and private sectors to discuss support for Ukraine's recovery.
Tokyo expects the biofuel technology to create a new industry in Ukraine, an agricultural nation abundant in resources that can be used as fuel.
Unlike the United States and Europe, Japan under its pacifist Constitution has a self-imposed ban on arms exports, and it is instead focusing on ways to aid in recovery and reconstruction following Russia's invasion.
It is expected that Japanese firms will agree to provide renewable energy production technology and related equipment at the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Reconstruction to be held Feb. 19.
Biofuels, which are produced from crops and livestock waste, can be used for power generation and have been attracting attention as one of the technologies that can lead decarbonization efforts.
"If the business gets off the ground, it will provide promising export products" for Ukraine and potentially help increase the country's foreign currency earnings, a Japanese government official said.
The Japanese government has been surveying Ukraine's needs ahead of the meeting, aiming to provide medium- and long-term support with the help of private investments in the fields of energy, medical care and infrastructure, the sources said.
In addition to biofuels, Japan is also considering providing prosthetic legs made with 3D printing technology, and technology for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Japan also plans to support the introduction in Ukraine of remote medical care and smart farming technologies, according to the sources.