Chancellor of the Government hosts Japan’s parliamentarian delegation

Chancellor of the Government, Giedrė Balčytytė, met with a delegation from the upper house of the National Diet of Japan (House of Councillors), led by Vice President of the House of Councillors, Hiroyuki Nagahama. The meeting - also attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Jonas Survila - focused on Lithuania-Japan bilateral relations, the strategic partnership, regional security and cooperation between democracies in the face of threats posed by authoritarian regimes, also on support for Ukraine in countering Russia’s armed aggression.

‘We are happy that the strategic partnership between Lithuania and Japan, founded on shared democratic values and the vision for a peaceful, rules-based world, has been steadily gaining a stronger footing. We wish to catalyse Lithuanian-Japanese synergy in areas spanning security and cutting-edge technology, all while engaging in a reciprocal exchange of experience to bolster cyber resilience and counter hybrid threats. Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and the conspicuous nexus between authoritarian regimes make the like-minded democracies to forge ever closer bonds’, said Chancellor of the Government, Balčytytė.

As authoritarian regimes closely follow the democratic world’s response to Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine, the outcome of this war will definitely have security implications for other regions too, the meeting noted. Victory in Ukraine is the only credible way to ensure sustainable security in Europe and to deter possible future aggression not only from Russia but also from other authoritarian regimes around the world.

It is important to continue not only military but also humanitarian and civilian support to Ukraine, which is why Lithuania has already launched bilateral reconstruction projects last year, some of which have already been successfully completed, and is inviting others to join in, said the Chancellor.

It is crucial for the international community to remember that Russia must be eventually held to account for the crime of aggression and war crimes in Ukraine, added Giedrė Balčytytė.

As authoritarian regimes mobilise and learn from each other's mistakes, building the collective resilience of democracies and sharing experience is becoming ever more pertinent. According to Vilmantas Vitkauskas, Head of the National Crisis Management Centre, the same methods are being used in hybrid attacks, and these regimes are actively inclined to exploit disinformation and cyberspace.

Chancellor Balčytytė also highlighted Lithuania’s engagement with major internet platforms to counter the dissemination of disinformation on social networks.