Japan has decided not to recognise a Palestinian state for the time being.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will skip a meeting related to the issue during this month’s United Nations General Assembly, the Asahi newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed government sources.
Japan’s decision aligns it with the United States, Israel’s closest ally, which has also rejected calls to recognise a Palestinian state. This stance runs counter to the position of several other Group of Seven (G7) countries, including France, Britain, Canada, and Australia, which have announced plans to recognise Palestine at the upcoming UN assembly to increase pressure on Israel.
Within the G7, German and Italian officials have described an immediate recognition of Palestine as “counterproductive.”
The Asahi report stated that Japan’s choice was likely made to maintain good relations with the United States and to prevent Israel from hardening its attitude. The U.S. reportedly urged Japan through multiple diplomatic channels to avoid recognising Palestine, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot strongly encouraged Japan to support recognition, Kyodo news agency reported last week.
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya confirmed on Tuesday that Japan is conducting “a comprehensive assessment, including appropriate timing and modalities, of the issue of recognising Palestinian statehood.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi repeated this statement at a news conference on Wednesday when asked about the report.
Despite this cautious approach, Hayashi expressed deep concern over Israel’s military operations in Gaza. He said that “the very foundations of a two-state solution could be collapsing” and urged Israel to take substantive steps to end the severe humanitarian crisis, including famine, as soon as possible.
At a UN meeting on Friday, Japan voted in favour of a declaration calling for “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. However, the Asahi reported that Prime Minister Ishiba will not attend the relevant meeting on September 22 in New York.