Russia-Ukraine war ended post-Cold War era: Japan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan on Tuesday said Russia’s war on Ukraine has terminated the post-Cold War era.

“Russia's invasion of Ukraine has become a ‘symbol’ of the end of the post-Cold War era, forcing the international community to face a ‘historical inflection point’,” Japan's Foreign Ministry said in its annual Diplomatic Bluebook.

Russia launched a war on Ukraine last year in February which has resulted in death and injuries to tens of hundreds of people while millions have been displaced from Ukraine.

Tokyo has condemned Moscow and joined the US-led western nations to sanction Russia, its businesses, and politicians, including President Vladimir Putin.

“The trend of international collaboration has been weakening globally despite being reinforced after the end of Cold War in 1989,” said the bluebook, emphasizing that “cooperation is needed now to counter Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine.”

It also called for cooperation on climate change.

The bluebook, according to Kyodo News, said: “Tokyo will closely monitor joint military exercises between China and Russia near Japanese territory, conducted at an increasingly frequent pace.”

“It is the first time Japan has voiced anxiety about the two countries’ military ties,” the Kyodo reported.

Also, focusing on China’s expansion of economic and military influence in wider Asia-Pacific, “for the first time, it (Tokyo) pledged in the report to deepen cooperation” with Global South.

“It is extremely important to cooperate with as many emerging and developing countries as possible in a comprehensive manner that would overcome the differences of values and interests under multilateralism,” it said.