TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will meet his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv on Saturday, the Japanese foreign ministry said.

In his talks with Kuleba, Hayashi will reiterate Japan's firm support of Ukraine and address its involvement in the international community to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine as soon as possible, the ministry said in a statement.

Hayashi is accompanied by executives of Japanese firms, including Hiroshi Mikitani, founder and chief executive Rakuten Group, the ministry said.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a surprise visit to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy in March. REUTERS