Japan to Help Ukraine Improve Laws to Support Reconstruction
Tokyo, July 14 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Justice Ministry is considering helping Ukraine improve laws and regulations as early as next spring to facilitate the war-torn country's future reconstruction, sources have said.
The move is also intended to support progress in Ukraine's negotiations for European Union membership and create an environment good for Japanese companies to enter the Ukrainian market. The ministry will decide details of the assistance after studying the needs of Ukraine.
Improvements in Ukraine's domestic laws and regulations are viewed as a key problem the country must resolve to join the EU.
Once Ukraine moves into the phase of restoration and reconstruction, huge economic demand would be created. But concerns have been raised about potential risks to companies due to differences in legal systems between Ukraine and other countries.
In January, Ukraine asked the ministry whether it can cooperate in various legal reforms, including amendments to the laws on civil and criminal procedures, the sources said.
Ukraine also seems interested in improving laws and regulations related to foreign investments in the country and foreign companies that operate there, the sources said, adding that Tokyo will consider inviting Ukrainian judicial officials to Japan for training.
The ministry is also examining the idea of dispatching Japanese prosecutors and other officials to give advice that takes into account the local situation.
Since the 1990s, the ministry, in cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, has been providing support for legal system development to other countries as part of official development assistance.
Through this program, Japan has helped more than 10 countries, such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, to draft basic laws and regulations, operate their judicial institutions and train prosecutors and judges.
Ukraine is believed to have sought cooperation from Japan in view of its track record in this area.
"A major characteristic of Japan's support is to consider systems tailored to the actual situations of the assistance recipient country, without imposing its own legal system," a senior ministry official said, expressing an eagerness to help Ukraine.
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