Japan Likely to Defer Recognition of Palestine as a State, Citing Relations with U.S.

Ishiba Expected to Skip September 22 Conference on Palestine

According to reports by the Asahi Shimbun and Kyodo News on September 17, the Japanese government is in the final stages of coordination to defer the recognition of Palestine as a state.

Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Japan has previously expressed its support for the "two-state solution," which envisions the coexistence of Palestine and Israel. However, the government appears to be taking into account concerns that recognizing Palestine as a state could worsen the situation in the Middle East, as well as its relationship with the United States, which opposes such recognition.

Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan, is expected to not attend the upcoming high-level international conference at the United Nations on September 22, which aims to peacefully resolve the Palestinian issue and implement the two-state solution.

Previously, countries including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, and Luxembourg have successively announced their intention to recognize Palestine as a state at this United Nations General Assembly. Citing sources, Kyodo News reported, "The Donald Trump administration of the United States requested Japan to postpone the recognition of Palestine as a state," while "France, on the other hand, strongly urged Japan to grant recognition."