Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio returned to Tokyo on Thursday morning after visiting Ukraine and other countries. Kishida said his visit made him painfully aware that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is an outrage threatening the international order.

Kishida told reporters at the prime minister's office that he had been arranging the trip to Ukraine since he received an invitation in January.

He said seeing the places where people have suffered aggression with his own eyes, and listening to the personal accounts of their horrific experiences, made him keenly aware of the recklessness of Russia's actions.

Kishida added that through his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he reaffirmed the importance of supporting Ukraine and renewed his determination to uphold the international order based on the rule of law.

He vowed to keep this in mind as he prepares to host a summit of Group of Seven leaders in Hiroshima in May.