Japanese Prime Minister Kishida gifts Zelensky a 'Bapjugeok'... Criticism saying "It's embarrassing"

Japanese Cultural Line Contains Meanings of Luck and Amulets

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, gifted President Volodymyr Zelensky a 'rice paddle,' which has recently come to light, sparking criticism within Japan.

On the 23rd (local time), according to Japanese media 'J-CAST' and others, Matsuno Hirokazu, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, revealed that Prime Minister Kishida presented President Zelensky with a 'shamoji (rice paddle)' during his visit to Kyiv.

The rice paddle gifted by Prime Minister Kishida was made in Hiroshima. It measures about 50 cm in length and bears Kishida's signature along with the phrase '必勝' (certain victory).

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (left) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are holding a summit in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on the 21st (local time).
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

In Japan, a rice paddle symbolizes bringing good luck and fortune, as it is used to scoop rice. It is also said that during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, Japanese navy sailors carried rice paddles as lucky charms.

However, some Japanese netizens criticized the prime minister, calling it a "shameful gift." Comments included, "Isn't it too trivial a gift for a country at war?", "A useless gift," and "If you don't understand Japanese culture, it might be taken absurdly."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kishida visited Kyiv on the 21st and held a summit with President Zelensky. This marks the first time a Japanese prime minister has visited Ukraine since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February last year.

At a joint press conference following the summit, Prime Minister Kishida stated, "Japan will support Ukraine until peace is restored," announcing that through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Japan will provide non-lethal equipment worth 30 million dollars (approximately 38.7 billion KRW) and 470 million dollars (approximately 607.2 billion KRW) in the energy sector and other areas as grants.

Earlier, on the 20th of last month, the Japanese government also announced a support package for Ukraine worth 5.5 billion dollars (approximately 7.1 trillion KRW).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.