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Connecting Ukraine’s people, culture, society and future with Japan and the world

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  1. People & Life/Practical Guide

    How Vaccinations a Child Received in Ukraine Are Counted in Japan

    Japan's routine vaccinations are administered by municipalities, and are covered by public funds for children in the eligible age range. Vaccinations received in Ukraine may be counted toward this, based on records, at a doctor's judgment and with a parent or guardian's consent. This article lines up the differences between the two countries' schedules and how to prepare records and questionnaires.

  2. The History of Ukraine's Economic Situation

    Understanding Society/Explainer

    The History of Ukraine’s Economic Situation | IMF and International Support Explained

    This article was published in July 2024, and its figures were revised in September 2026. The assumptions to state when citing wartime economic statistics (the area covered, the exchange rate, and whether a figure is an estimate or confirmed) are covered in Ukraine’s Economic Figures in Wartime — Telling Apart Scope, Exchange Rates, and Estimates. Ukraine’s economy has weathered many difficult periods, from the turmoil after the Soviet collapse to the 2008 global financial crisis. Then, on February 24, 2022, Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The large-scale fiscal…

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  3. People & Life/Practical Guide

    How Ukrainian Diplomas, Degrees, and Medical Licenses Are Treated in Japan

    People who have completed Ukraine's 11-year school system are eligible to apply to Japanese universities, under a designation by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. For graduate school, the general benchmarks are “16 years of schooling” or “a bachelor's-equivalent degree from a course of 3 years or more,” but the final decision rests with the institution applied to. Working as a doctor or nurse starts with an eligibility certification from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (as of September 2026).

  4. Article cover: a Japanese headline and Oriuka, the Ukrainavi mascot

    People & Life/Explainer

    Features of Ukraine’s Education System | From Kindergarten to University, and Underground Schools

    Ukraine has a reputation for producing many talented people, so you might wonder what kind of education makes that possible. This time, we explain the features of Ukraine’s education system. There are many differences from Japan, such as music schools for children and continuous education, so if you’re interested in education, please read to the end. Education at Ukrainian Kindergartens Kindergarten education in Ukraine places emphasis on early childhood education. Ukraine has a distinctive kind of educational institution not found in Japan: music schools (art schools) for children. Music Schools…

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  5. People & Life/Practical Guide

    Tokyo: an Essay and Interview. Kanagawa: Three Subjects. High School Entrance Exams for Students From Abroad

    Some Japanese prefectures set up separate public high school entrance exams for students who need Japanese-language support. Tokyo holds an essay and interview in either Japanese or English, while Kanagawa gives an exam in English, Japanese (kokugo), and math with furigana readings added. Completing 9 years of schooling in Ukraine meets the eligibility requirement for entering high school (as of September 2026).

  6. Ukraine's language, and how it differs from Russian's

    Culture & History/Explainer

    Ukraine’s Language Situation | Differences from Russian, and How to Translate into Ukrainian

    In Ukraine, both Ukrainian and Russian are used, reflecting the country’s historical background. When visiting Ukraine for business or communicating with Ukrainians, knowing even a little Ukrainian can make it easier to build a good relationship. This article explains Ukraine’s language situation, its differences from Russian, and how to translate from Japanese into Ukrainian. It also introduces some Ukrainian greetings, so please use them when communicating. The History of Ukraine’s Language Before independence, the Supreme Council (Verkhovna Rada) of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted a language law in October…

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  7. People & Life/Practical Guide

    Ukraine Only Takes Air Mail and EMS: The Conditions for Letters, Parcels, and Money Transfers

    Japan Post resumed air mail and EMS to Ukraine in May 2022, and as of September 2026 surface mail and SAL are still not available. Some areas, including Crimea, cannot be reached, and noodles and canned goods cannot be sent as parcels. Sending money is generally unrestricted, but bank checks can take time.

  8. The appeal of Ukrainian film

    Culture & History/Explainer

    7 Films Connected to Ukraine, and Their Directors and Actors

    This article was published in October 2024. The different things the phrase “Ukrainian film” can mean (country of production, setting, and who made it) are covered in “Ukrainian Film” Means Five Different Things — Country of Production, Setting, and Who Made It. 20 Days in Mariupol, winner of the Best Documentary Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards; Atlantis, winner of the Best Film award in the Orizzonti section at the 2019 Venice Film Festival; and the family animated film Stolen Princess: Ruslan and Ludmila. This article covers seven films connected…

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  9. A nighttime air-raid alert: many people sitting and standing on the stairs and in the passageways of a metro station

    People & Life/Explainer

    The Air-Raid Siren Lasts 3 to 5 Minutes; in Kyiv, Alerts Now Come in Yellow and Red

    The first sound Ukraine uses to signal danger is a 3-to-5-minute warning tone, “Увага всім,” set out in law. In March 2022, an alert app was built in a single day, and from September 2026, Kyiv split its alerts into yellow and red levels. Shelters fall into five legal categories, treated differently in peacetime and wartime.

  10. Ukraine's Export Rankings

    Business & Recovery/Data & Documents

    Ukraine’s Export Rankings | Its Main Trading Partners, and Current Challenges

    This article was published in July 2024, and the figures in it have not been updated since. The weight of each industry in wartime is covered in Ukraine’s Industries in Wartime — The Weight of Agriculture, Manufacturing, Services, and Energy, and the assumptions to keep in mind when reading economic statistics are covered in Ukraine’s Economic Figures in Wartime — Telling Apart Scope, Exchange Rates, and Estimates. Ukraine is a country with abundant resources and vast farmland, and the industries supporting its economy are wide-ranging. Ukraine’s exports are highly regarded…

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