A poll shows that people in Ukraine hope Japan will play a leading role in helping the country rebuild.

NHK and a Ukraine-based research organization conducted a joint survey in February of 1,000 Ukrainian citizens.

Asked what Japan can do to support their country, the largest proportion of respondents, 33 percent, said help with reconstruction.

The Japanese government has already decided to provide a grant of about 170 million dollars through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, or JICA. The agency has been helping Ukraine restore damaged power facilities and remove landmines and unexploded bombs.

In the poll, people were also asked whether they knew about the humanitarian assistance that Japan was providing. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they were hearing about it for the first time.

The Ukrainian government has been seeking cooperation with Group of Seven nations to help it counter Russia.

Kyiv is hopeful that Japan, which is chairing this year's G7 meetings, will take the lead in bringing Western and Asian countries together to provide financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine.

Observers say Kyiv is also hoping for Japan's continued cooperation in stepping up economic pressure and pursuing war crimes charges against Russia.