TOKYO >> Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine, Russians living in Japan, Russian restaurants and stores selling Russian goods have become targets of abuse.

Victoria Miyabe operates Aka-no-­hiroba, a shop in Tokyo’s Ginza district that sells foods from Russia, Ukraine and other regions that were part of the former Soviet Union.

Miyabe, 48, was born in southeastern Ukraine. One of her sisters lives in Russia and another lives in Mariupol in eastern Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russian forces. Text messages Miyabe sent to her sister in Mariupol have remained unread since March 3.

Miyabe opened Aka-no-hiroba (Red square) about a year ago, seeking to provide a bridge between Japan and both Ukraine and Russia. Since the invasion, however, she has received angry phone calls from people asking if she supports Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I just want to share and convey the cultures of each country,” she said. “I don’t want disputes to emerge here in Japan.”

Miyabe said she has also received support from customers.

Meanwhile, on March 6, a Russian restaurant in Tokyo was notified by a regular customer that a now-deleted Twitter post included the restaurant’s name with a photo of what appeared to be the dead body of a Ukrainian soldier. Some of the restaurant’s employees are Russian.

“My staff is also devastated by the invasion,” said the restaurant’s Japanese manager. “We all feel the same way and want the fighting to quickly end.”

Abusive messages also have been posted in comments on videos uploaded by Russian You­Tuber Nastya, who arrived in Japan in 2017. “Go back to Russia” were among the messages she has received.

In her videos, Nastya showcases Japanese tourist attractions and shares historical tidbits in Japanese. “I upload videos to entertain viewers, so (the messages) made me very sad,” she said.

Nastya said she also has received encouraging messages. She plans to continue making videos and use the money to support an international exchange site and help support Ukrainian refugees.

“Abuse hurts people’s feelings and could lead to further hatred,” she said. “The current situation makes my heart ache. I think it’s important for everybody to think calmly about what needs to be done to bring about peace.”