Consultation via Phone Talks... Hamas Attack Explicitly Defined as 'Terrorism'
Japan, Dependent on Oil, Also Joins G7 Stance
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) held a telephone conference and agreed on the need to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
According to NHK on the 18th, the G7 foreign ministers held a telephone conference for about an hour starting at 9 p.m. the previous night. This foreign ministers' meeting was the first since the Palestinian armed faction Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on the 7th.
The G7 foreign ministers explicitly labeled Hamas's attack on Israel as "terrorism" and strongly condemned it. They also agreed that G7 countries would coordinate their responses to improve the situation in the Gaza Strip.
Japan also joined in criticizing Hamas. Yoko Kamikawa, Japan's Foreign Minister and chair of the foreign ministers' meeting, said, "(Japan) is watching with serious concern and appreciates the diplomatic efforts of the G7 members."
Regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, he emphasized, "We place great importance on humanitarian aid" and appealed that "the evacuation of each country's nationals should also be coordinated with the G7."
Regarding Japan's participation in the G7's stance of defining Hamas's attack as terrorism, there is analysis that Japan has shifted its direction to align with major Western countries. Japan imports 90% of its crude oil from the Middle East, making it difficult to simply follow the U.S. and Europe.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) explained, "Japan has a different position from other G7 countries regarding the Middle East situation," adding, "It maintains close relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and also maintains traditional friendly relations with Iran, which is at odds with the U.S."
Accordingly, immediately after the armed conflict between Hamas and Israel broke out, Japan criticized Hamas but refrained from explicitly calling it "terrorism."
However, as the chair country of the G7 and the host of the foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo next month, Japan appears to have taken a tough stance on resolving the situation.
Foreign Minister Kamikawa also explained that Japan is urging Middle Eastern countries to calm the situation. He held a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian the previous day, appealing for Iran to play a role in calming the situation by pressuring Hamas.
Afterwards, Kamikawa told reporters, "We will continue communication with officials from both Israel and Palestine and persistently pursue diplomatic efforts for an early resolution."
Within the G7 framework, a series of statements, including joint declarations, are being made. Earlier, on the 12th, G7 finance ministers and central bank governors issued a joint statement in Marrakesh, Morocco, expressing solidarity with Israel.
According to the statement, they "firmly condemn Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel and express solidarity with the Israeli people."
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