On March 27, Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan Sergiy Korsunsky responded on Facebook to Ukrainian restaurateur Yevhen Klopotenko’s statement that Japanese people consider Ukrainian borsch to be Russian due to the influence of Russian propaganda.
Korsunsky reposted an article published on the Glavkom website under the headline “Borsch is a Russian dish.” The Japanese refused to allow Klopotenko to open a Ukrainian restaurant”, stating this is not the case.
“No, this is not true. Over the past two years, a dozen Ukrainian restaurants serving borsch have opened in Japan. In May, we are opening another one in Nagoya. The Ukrainian community holds borsch festivals all over the country, and the Japanese are well aware that borsch is a Ukrainian dish,” Korsunsky wrote. The opinion of one Japanese person who ‘refused’ shows that he or she is simply incompetent in the business he or she is trying to do.”
Klopotenko responded to the ambassador’s words.
“We are all doing one big job! But much work must be done to avoid such unfortunate situations because the enemy’s propaganda is insidious! Let’s unite and break this rock,” he said. – “The level of support for Ukraine in Japan is incredible.
Borsch is a traditional Ukrainian dish. On July 1, 2022, borsch was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage requiring immediate protection.
