Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan made an unannounced go to to Ukraine on Tuesday to satisfy with President Volodymyr Zelensky, changing into the newest chief of the Group of seven nations to journey to the nation as he seeks a extra lively function for Japan in worldwide affairs.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has galvanized Japan’s overseas and navy coverage, stoking issues in regards to the prices of geopolitical instability. Policymakers and the general public alike fear that the nation can be unprepared to deal with a disaster in its personal yard, whether or not North Korean aggression or an try by China to take the self-ruled island of Taiwan.

The struggle has additionally raised issues about Japan’s reliance on different international locations for meals and vitality, most of which it imports. Costs for commodities corresponding to pure gasoline jumped after the invasion, placing price pressures on Japan’s manufacturing of electrical energy. In response, the nation has pushed for nearer relationships with its allies and damaged a decadeslong impasse in navy spending, doubling its price range.

It was a major change for Japan, the place the Structure limits the nation’s capability to have interaction in navy motion and the general public has lengthy resisted any insurance policies that even hinted at strolling again its longstanding official stance of pacifism. The rise raised spending to round 2 p.c of annual financial output, aligning Japan with members of NATO. The transfer was seen as signaling its preparedness to play a extra lively function in any navy disaster within the Asia-Pacific area.

In an extra break from previous habits, Japan has drawn a transparent line on the struggle in Ukraine, becoming a member of with different G7 nations to impose sanctions on Russia and offering billions of {dollars} in monetary support, in addition to nonlethal navy support, corresponding to helmets and bulletproof vests. Late final month, Mr. Kishida pledged $5.5 billion in further help.

Mr. Kishida embarked for Ukraine from India, the place he had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on points together with defending freedom of navigation within the Pacific.

In a speech on Monday on the Indian Council of World Affairs, a analysis institute in New Delhi, Mr. Kishida stated that Russia’s struggle had pushed a “paradigm shift” in international affairs.

“Russia’s aggression in opposition to Ukraine oblige us to face essentially the most basic problem: defending peace,” he stated, in accordance with ready remarks.

Mr. Kishida flew from India to Poland, the place he boarded a practice to Kyiv, in accordance with NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster. The secretive journey was extremely uncommon for a primary minister in Japan, the place the chief’s actions are sometimes broadcast nicely upfront and reported intimately.

Hisako Ueno contributed reporting.