Russia Summons Japanese Ambassador Over Drone Agreement with Ukraine

On April 8, 2024, Russia summoned Akira Muto, the Japanese ambassador to Moscow, to express its protest against an agreement made between a Japanese company and a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

At the end of March, the Tokyo-based company Terra Drone became the first Japanese firm to invest in Ukraine's defense sector, announcing a partnership with the Ukrainian manufacturer Amazing Drones. This investment marks a significant shift in Japan's policy regarding defense collaboration.

Russia views this investment as a 'hostile' move, as stated in the Russian Foreign Ministry's announcement. In a protest note addressed to Muto, the Kremlin noted that Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian territory 'provide grounds to consider Terra Drone's investment as overtly hostile.' The ambassador was also informed that relations between Russia and Japan 'have reached their lowest level.'

The Kremlin's statement emphasized, 'If the Japanese side is genuinely interested in restoring intergovernmental dialogue, it must demonstrate this desire not through words, but through concrete actions and practical steps.'

Although Japanese companies have long observed Ukraine's drone sector from a distance, the Japanese government had firmly discouraged investors from even visiting Ukraine. However, amid the global rise in drone usage in warfare and security threats posed by neighboring countries such as Russia, China, and North Korea, Japan has increased its defense spending, planning the largest budget in its history for 2026, amounting to 9.04 trillion yen (approximately $58 billion).

The budget allocates 100 billion yen (about $629 million) specifically for drone defense systems.

While Japan's constitution, adopted after World War II, restricts the provision of lethal military assistance to foreign countries, Tokyo remains one of Ukraine's largest supporters, having provided around $15 billion in total assistance (primarily financial and humanitarian) and an additional $3.5 billion that it has committed to provide, according to a report by OSW in December 2025.

Japan has also joined international allies in imposing sanctions against Russia due to its ongoing war in Ukraine.