TOKYO, Sept 17 — Japan has decided not to recognise a Palestinian state at this time, a position believed to stem from its strategic alignment with the United States and a desire to avoid escalating tensions with Israel, according to a report by The Asahi Shimbun, citing unnamed government sources.
This decision comes as several nations—including Britain, France, Canada, and Australia—signal their readiness to recognise Palestinian statehood during the upcoming UN General Assembly session, a move that further isolates Israel diplomatically and increases international pressure over its actions in Gaza.
Diplomatic reports suggest that Washington has been actively persuading Tokyo to refrain from recognition, using multiple diplomatic channels. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reportedly made a direct appeal to Japan, urging it to formally acknowledge a Palestinian state, according to Kyodo News.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya responded to growing international scrutiny by stating that Tokyo continues to conduct a “comprehensive assessment” regarding the appropriate timing and format of recognition. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi echoed this sentiment in a press briefing but did not comment directly on the Asahi report. However, he did issue a stark warning about the deteriorating situation in Gaza.
“We feel a grave sense of crisis,” Hayashi said, referring to Israel’s intensified ground operations in Gaza City. “The very foundations of a two-state solution could be collapsing.”
Hayashi further urged the Israeli government to take “substantive steps to end the severe humanitarian crisis, including famine, as soon as possible.”
At a UN session last Friday, Japan joined 142 other countries in endorsing a declaration that calls for “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward a peaceful two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. Despite this symbolic show of support, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to skip a high-level meeting on Palestinian statehood scheduled for September 22 during the UN General Assembly in New York.
Within the G7 bloc, opinions remain divided. Germany and Italy have warned that an immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood may be “counterproductive” under the current volatile conditions.
