Apr 19 (Japan Times) - Japan's Defense Ministry has announced that it will send masks and clothing designed to protect against chemical weapons as well as drones to Ukraine in response to a request from Kyiv, in Tokyo’s latest shipment of defense supplies to the war-torn country.
The ministry said in a statement that it had decided to provide NBC suits and NBC masks — which are designed to protect against direct contact with and contamination by radioactive, biological or chemical substances — as well as commercially available drones to the Ukrainian government after it requested the gear.
Still, experts say Russia has little political or military motivation to use the weapons at this time, and would face strong international rebuke and even potential military consequences over such an attack.
Last month, Japan sent bulletproof vests, helmets and other items to Ukraine as requested by the Eastern European nation after a review of its guidelines on the transfer of defense equipment overseas.
Providing defense equipment to countries under armed attack is rare for Japan, which is bound by strict conditions for the overseas shipment of such gear under the nation's three overarching principles on its transfer.
The updated guidelines state that "defense equipment assigned by the defense minister based on the SDF law can be provided to Ukraine, which has been invaded in violation of international law," media reports quoting Japanese defense officials said.
Source: ANNnewsCH
