Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has reacted to the Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that his country's troops will conduct what he called a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine.

Kisihda said, "There are various kinds of reports on the issue. We are focusing on gathering information and getting the whole picture of the situation there. As the situation is developing rapidly, we are working closely with the international community, including Group of Seven nations, to deal with this. And it will be very vital to secure the safety of Japanese nationals."

Kishida was asked about Kyiv's announcement that civilian aviation flights to Ukrainian airspace are limited.

Kishida said that in the light of maintaining the safety of Japanese nationals, the government will deal with the situation appropriately.

Source: ANNnewsCH