Japan’s position on non-recognition of the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea by Russia remains unchanged.

Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan Yoshihide Suga said this at a press conference in Tokyo on March 18, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"The Government of Japan has supported and will continue to support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Japan does not recognize the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation," he said, stressing that this position remained unchanged.

He also added that the Japanese Government would continue to cooperate with the Group of Seven (G7) and the international community on this issue.

As reported, five years ago, Russian armed forces started occupying Crimea. On March 16, 2014, the illegal "referendum" took place on the peninsula, and on March 18 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Crimea became a part of the Russian Federation.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea is not recognized either by Ukraine or by the international community. Ukraine officially considers Crimea as the temporarily occupied territory.

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