Japan's Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa has made a courtesy call on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the country's capital Kyiv.
Hayashi is the first Japanese foreign minister to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February last year.
After arriving on Saturday from Poland by train, he traveled to Bucha, near Kyiv, where scores of civilians were killed by Russian forces.
He offered flowers at a cenotaph dedicated to victims at a church where they are buried.
After meeting Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Hayashi laid flowers at an another monument for the war dead with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, after which they walked to the foreign ministry building for a meeting.
Hayashi is believed to have relayed the intentions of Japan, as this year's Group of Seven chair, to lead international discussions aimed at maintaining and strengthening sanctions against Russia and extending support for Ukraine.
Hayashi is also believed to have confirmed documentation of bilateral cooperation based on a joint statement on Ukraine's security that the G7 announced in July.