Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday emphasized that Japan has ※no intention of taking sides§ following U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy*s extraordinary blowup at the White House last week.

Ishiba, speaking during a Lower House Budget Committee meeting, expressed surprise at Trump and Zelenskyy*s verbal dustup, which ended without a key minerals deal being signed and with the Ukrainian leader being kicked out of the White House.

※From what I saw on TV and in the news, I can*t help but wonder how this could have happened,§ he said in response to a question about his views on the heated argument in front of live cameras last Friday.