Japan's Fukushima disaster relief agency to help Ukraine

Japan’s Reconstruction Agency, which has for many years successfully dealt with natural disaster relief, will assist the Ukrainian Recovery Agency in reconstruction projects, the latter said in a statement on Thursday.

The cooperation will include, among other things, e-planning and e-design in reconstruction management.

The Japanese Reconstruction Agency helped recovery efforts after the 2011 tsunami that led to the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.

While all the projects to address the consequences of the Fukushima accident have been completed, the Agency continues to provide psychological assistance to residents and restore businesses in the affected areas.

"This is our first meeting, and then we will identify areas in which we can work. I am confident that we will pass on really useful knowledge," Uno Yoshimasa, director general of the Reconstruction Agency, was quoted as saying.

Ukraine agreed to cooperate with the Japan Reconstruction Agency in June during the Group of Seven transport ministers' meeting.

The Japan Reconstruction Agency was established in February 2012 and is the main body of the Japanese government responsible for disaster relief. Its purpose is to manage reconstruction efforts, coordinate all services involved, and cooperate with local authorities.