Japanese volunteer Fuminori Tsuchiko’s stay in Ukraine extended
Pravda Ukraine
Fuminori Tsuchiko, a Japanese volunteer who provides free meals to hundreds of Kharkiv residents every day, has had his stay in Ukraine extended until 21 April 2025. He had been at risk of having to leave the country due to difficulties securing an appointment with the State Migration Service.
Source: Tsuchiko on Facebook
Quote: “The stay period has been extended until 21 April. I can’t file a tax return or make a bank card just by stamping on this passport. I need to have Ukrainian documents,” Tsuchiko wrote.
He mentioned that in order to process his documents, he needs to visit the Embassy of Ukraine in Warsaw (Poland), and upon returning to Kharkiv, he will submit an application to the State Migration Service.
For reference: Fuminori Tsuchiko, a Japanese citizen, was born in Tokyo and was previously a head of a company.
At 60, he retired and chose to explore the subject of Nazism, which led him to Poland. In January 2022, he travelled to Ukraine as a tourist to visit Babyn Yar.
On 24 February 2022, while in Warsaw, Fuminori saw many Ukrainian refugees at the train station and decided to return to Ukraine.
In 2023, Fuminori Tsuchiko opened a free café in Kharkiv, where he serves hot meals and bakes pies.
Background:
- On 18 January 2025, it was reported that the Japanese volunteer was at risk of being forced to leave Ukraine. As he had previously explained, this was due to his inability to secure an appointment at the territorial office of the State Migration Service in Kharkiv to obtain a residence permit.
- Fuminori even visited the President’s Office in Kyiv seeking assistance.
- Later, Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, confirmed that the volunteer would be allowed to stay in Kharkiv, and his permission to remain in Ukraine would be extended.
- Shortly after, the State Migration Service announced that Fuminori had been invited to the Kharkiv Migration Service office on 20 January to “clarify the circumstances of the high-profile social media post”.
- The service said the Japanese volunteer intends to apply for Ukrainian citizenship.
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