FACT CHECK: Did Japan Supply Ukraine With Tanks?

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

A video shared on Facebook claims Japan supplied Ukraine with tanks.

Verdict: False

There is no evidence that Japan has provided tanks to Ukraine.

Fact Check:

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Ukraine in March, where he would “directly convey [Japan’s] solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine,” according to CNN. Japan has placed sanctions and condemned Russia’s annexation of parts of Ukraine, The Associated Press reported in September.

The Facebook video, viewed more than 81,000 times, claims Japan has sent tanks to Ukraine. The video’s caption reads, “Japan Has Warned Russia for the Last Time: Japanese Tanks are on Their Way to Ukraine! Big Support.”

However, there is no evidence that Japan has provided tanks to Ukraine. If Japan had provided tanks to Ukraine, media outlets would have covered it, yet none have. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has not released any statements indicating that Japan has sent the country tanks.

Japan has provided reconnaissance drones, trucks, helmets, bulletproof vests, and other non-lethal aid to Ukraine, according to Oryx. Nikkei reported in March 2023 that Japan was considering exporting weapons to countries under invasion. (RELATED: Does This Video Show NATO Helicopters Being Show Down In Ukraine?)

The video is created in a similar format to other videos that portray false or misleading news about the Russian-Ukrainian war. For example, Check Your Fact recently fact-checked a video claiming that Ukrainian NASAMs shot down 100 Russian aircraft. These types of videos have been circulating social media, especially Facebook, since the war began last year, according to a July 2022 report from PolitiFact.

Check Your Fact has reached out to the Japanese Embassy in the U.S. and will update this article if a response is provided.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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