Japan's PM offers Ukraine support as China's Xi backs Russia

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a surprise visit Tuesday to Kiev, stealing some of the global attention from Asian rival President Xi Jinping of China, who is in Moscow to show support for Russia against the West over the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.

The two visits, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) apart, highlighted the nearly 13-month-old war's repercussions for international diplomacy as countries line up behind behind Moscow or Kiev. They follow a week in which China and Japan both enjoyed diplomatic successes that have emboldened their foreign policy.

Kishida, who is to chair the Group of Seven summit in May, will meet President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Ukrainian capital, coinciding with Xi's talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Kishida will "show respect to the courage and patience of the Ukrainian people who are standing up to defend their homeland under President Zelensky's leadership, and show solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine as head of Japan and chairman of G-7," during his visit to Ukraine, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in announcing his trip to Kiev.

Kishida told Ukrainian officials that he plans to "provide maximum support in order to restore peace in Ukraine."

Kyodo News said he visited a church in Bucha, a town outside Kiev that became a symbol of Russian atrocities against civilians, laid flowers at a church there and paid his respects to the victims.

"I'm outraged by the cruelty. I represent the Japanese citizens to express my condolences to those who lost their lives," he was quoted as saying.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel tweeted about the "two very different European-Pacific partnerships" that unfolded Tuesday.

"Kishida stands with freedom, and Xi...