February 2026 will mark four years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Although there are no signs of an end to the fighting, infrastructure restoration and reconstruction work has begun in non-combat zones, and JICA is cooperating with local reconstruction efforts by supporting the entry of Japanese companies with advanced technological capabilities into Ukraine. The following is a report on the current status of the project.
Nagano Company Supports Soil Restoration in Ukraine
There are ‘two battlefields’ in Ukraine right now. One is the visible battle for defense, which you are bravely fighting. The other is the crisis on the ground, which is going on quietly at our feet. Our technology can be a countermeasure to this crisis.”
December 16, 2025, in Khiu, the capital of Ukraine. Mr. Tanaka Riyu, president of Kakuichi Corporation (Nagano City), a developer and manufacturer of agricultural machinery, made this speech at an event to commemorate the establishment of a joint venture company in the country. Kakuichi has a technology called “nanobubbles” that improves soil with the power of tiny bubbles, and the company is using this technology to face the “crisis of the earth.
While Ukraine is a major exporter of agricultural products, its agricultural lands are suffering from salt damage and soil degradation. This is due to climate change and excessive fertilizer use resulting from large-scale cultivation. In addition, heavy metal pollution caused by war is becoming more serious. In response to these issues, Kakuichi is providing support for soil restoration in Ukraine through a locally established joint venture company.
President Tanaka said, “Our decision to expand into Ukraine was triggered by the arrival of a delegation from there in 2024. It was just at the time when we were thinking about expanding overseas, and as I came into contact with the Ukrainian people, I began to think about what we could do for these people. At first, we were only considering exporting the machine that generates nanobubbles, but thanks to JICA’s support, we were able to establish a foothold in the region. This will allow us to be involved in supporting soil restoration in Ukraine over the long term,” he says.
President Tanaka (left) speaking at an event to commemorate the company’s founding.
Strengths of Japanese Companies in Need
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, war damage in Ukraine has been estimated at $176 billion. Landmine contamination and Russian military occupation have rendered 20% of agricultural land unusable. In addition to damage to energy and other infrastructure facilities, utilities have also been severely damaged. According to the Ukrainian government, as of August 2025, 1,779 schools had been damaged and 226 completely destroyed. Existing educational facilities are also deteriorating. Companies with a variety of technologies are essential to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts. However, the ongoing fighting is forcing the country to prioritize its enormous defense budget, so assistance from other countries is needed.
JICA’s “Ukraine Business Support Project,” launched in FY2024, aims to support Japanese companies with advanced technological capabilities to enter Ukraine, thereby strengthening the country’s economic base and contributing to its recovery and reconstruction from the war. The project aims to strengthen Ukraine’s economic foundation by supporting the entry of Japanese companies with high technological capabilities into Ukraine, and to contribute to its recovery and reconstruction from the war.
Doing business in a country at war is not easy, however, and in addition to language and business customs barriers, there are unforeseen risks associated with the war. To mitigate these barriers to entry and risks, JICA’s projects provide consulting services to companies considering expansion into Ukraine, and support market research and pilot projects. In FY2024, 14 new projects were adopted. One of these projects is Kakuichi, a soil rehabilitation support program.
President Tanaka said, “First of all, we cannot receive information because of the war. Even if we communicate with the local people, it is not enough. It was thanks to JICA’s support that we were able to travel to the site and network with local officials and research institutions. I don’t think we would have been able to enter the local market without the support of JICA, especially for the needs assessment and the pilot project,” he recalls.
Yamagata Company Helps Build School Meal Center
Metal Products, a steel frame manufacturer in Yamagata Prefecture, is one of the companies selected for the Ukraine Business Support Program.
President Susumu Watanabe said, “We originally had a base of operations in Moldova, Ukraine’s neighbor. JICA’s assistance program helped us overcome the barriers to entry into Ukraine,” recalls President Susumu Watanabe.
Metal Products supported the construction of a school lunch center for a public kindergarten in the village of Dhimel, Kiew. The village had a problem with an aging kindergarten food service center, but the local priority was to restore infrastructure damaged in the war, and there was a lack of contractors to build civilian facilities. For the village, Metal Products, with its superior production management technology, was a “godsend.
Children attending kindergarten in the village of Dimel
Metal Products’ role was to manage the production process of materials required for the construction work, while teaching Japanese production methods to local partner companies. Since this work was mainly done through online communication, it was necessary to overcome the differences in language and business practices.
One person who played an active role there was Mariya Bondarenko, who had evacuated to Japan from Ukraine. Hired as a local mercenary, Mariya assisted with online communication with partners, translation of documents, and construction-related procedures.
Many people in Ukraine contribute to their country by joining the army or volunteering in dangerous areas,” said Mariya. I also wanted to contribute to the reconstruction of my country by making use of my experience studying Japanese at a Japanese language school,” she recalls.
Metal Products President Susumu Watanabe (front row, right) and Mariya Bondarenko (back row, center), who worked on the project.
President Watanabe recalls, “Without Mariya, we would not have been able to finish the construction of the kindergarten lunch center in three and a half months. Regarding future development, he added, “There is now a growing demand for shelter construction in Ukraine, where we can take advantage of our steel frame processing technology, which is one of our strengths. We hope to contribute to Ukraine through this kind of business.
President Watanabe shakes hands with the village mayor at a school lunch center that Tal Products helped build.
Ukraine’s Recovery Leads to Japan’s Vitality
Kotaro Tanaka, Director of JICA’s Ukraine Support Office, talks about the significance of the Japanese private sector’s involvement in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The full-scale invasion by Russia caused more and more people to flee to other countries, and Ukraine’s population dropped from 40 million to 30 million. In order for the displaced people to return to Ukraine, they need stable jobs in addition to their livelihood. Japanese companies entering Ukraine will help create local jobs.”
Kohtaro Tanaka, Director of the Ukraine Support Office
He says that Ukraine has its own developing fields, such as drones and computerization, which could lead to the creation of innovations and solutions to Japan’s social issues.
Mr. Tanaka said, “Supporting the reconstruction of Ukraine through the expansion of Japanese companies into the country will lead to the vitality of Japan in the long run. We hope that many companies will take an interest in Ukraine.
© Source JICA