Kyiv, 15 July 2026 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, together with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) and with financial support from the Government of Japan, today concluded the two-day practical training course called “Opportunities for Trade, Partnership and Entry of Ukrainian Companies into the Japanese Market.” 

Over 14–15 July, more than 70 representatives from 64 Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises worked alongside experts and Japanese partners to turn the ambition of entering the Japanese market into a concrete action plan – and to bring the Ukrainian economy closer to one of the world’s most demanding, yet most promising, markets. The event was held in cooperation with the Japan External Trade Organisation, or JETRO.

Japan offers significant opportunities for Ukrainian exporters, but success requires thorough preparation. Companies must demonstrate consistent quality and supply, proper certification and labelling requirements, tailor their market materials, and understand  Japan’s business culture built on trust and long-term relationships.  

The training drew on the practical experience accumulated by UNDP and the UCCI, including the guide “How to Export to Japan” and a study of promising sectors of the Ukrainian economy for exports to Japan. The programme also built on JETRO's “Ukraine TOP 100” materials, which serve as a reference point for company profiling and market positioning.

Opening the training, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Masashi Nakagome set out: “During the past two years in Ukraine, I have had the privilege of meeting many wonderful Ukrainian entrepreneurs. I have been deeply impressed by their products and craftsmanship. I am confident that these uniquely Ukrainian products can and will be welcomed by Japanese consumers.”

UNDP sees supporting the export capacity of Ukrainian businesses as part of broader efforts to achieve the recovery of Ukraine’s private sector, which is a driver of economic growth. "Ukraine’s sustainable recovery is impossible without a strong, competitive, and outward-looking private sector," said UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Auke Lootsma. “By helping small and medium-sized Ukrainian companies prepare to work with Japanese partners, we’re investing in export diversification, new jobs, and the country's long-term economic resilience – while also strengthening their capacity to access and compete in EU markets.”

The training course’s co-organiser, the UCCI, sees the Japanese market as a priority for Ukrainian exporters. “The Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has for decades helped domestic businesses find partners abroad, and the Japanese market is among the most promising,” said UCCI President Gennadiy Chyzhykov. “Our task is to give companies not general advice, but working tools and direct access to the market, so that the interest of Japanese partners turns into concluded deals.”

Interest in cooperation is also growing among Japanese companies. According to the Embassy of Japan, more than 80 Japanese companies, with the support of their government, are already operating in Ukraine or seeking Ukrainian partners – across sectors ranging from agriculture and IT to energy, infrastructure housing and healthcare. The main barrier remains not a lack of interest, but the readiness of Ukrainian companies to meet market requirements – which is precisely what the training set out to address.

“Ukraine and Japan can strengthen and widen business partnership more, as reliable partners who have common sense of value.” said Shigeru Kono, Ukraine Business Adviser of JETRO. “Though Ukraine has been a country geographically very far from Japan, and historically not very familiar in business for most of Japanese companies, Ukraine can be an emerging market, which attracts Japanese companies from various industries.”

The programme was designed as a step-by-step journey – from assessing whether a product is ready for the Japanese market, to selecting sales channels and calculating the final cost of goods. Participants did not merely listen to lectures from experts but, step by step, actively prepared their own materials, including company profiles, compliance checklists, and pricing and logistics calculations. By the end of the training course, each company had developed its own action plan for entering the Japanese market.

As a result, 64 Ukrainian companies completed the programme with tailored market-entry plans and practical materials ready to use in discussions with potential Japanese partners. In the coming months, UNDP will continue supporting participating companies through advisory services, partner matchmaking, and additional guidance on export development.

For Ukraine, expanding access to markets such as Japan is an important step towards export diversification, economic recovery, and resilience. Beyond direct commercial opportunities, success in Japan can help Ukrainian companies strengthen their presence across the wider Asian market and build long-term international partnerships.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications and Advocacy; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org