Israel Sends Protest Letter to Nagano Prefecture
"Demands Investigation into Refusal of Accommodation"
The Israeli Embassy in Japan has sent a letter of protest to Nagano Prefecture after a lodging facility in Nagano refused accommodation to Israeli tourists.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 17th, Nagano Prefecture conducted a fact-finding investigation and determined that the incident could be interpreted as a refusal of accommodation based solely on nationality. As a result, the prefecture issued an oral warning to the company operating the lodging facility.
The investigation by Nagano Prefecture found that the issue began in October when an Israeli travel agency inquired about a reservation with the company operating the lodging facility.
During the reservation consultation conducted via social networking service (SNS), the company’s manager sent a message stating, "I am dissatisfied with actions toward Palestinian people." This appears to reference Israel’s incursion into the Palestinian territories. Ultimately, the reservation sought by the travel agency was rejected.
The Israeli Embassy sent a letter of protest to Shuichi Abe, Governor of Nagano Prefecture, stating, "Discrimination based on nationality is unacceptable." The embassy also requested an investigation into the matter, noting that, under Japan’s Travel Agency Act, refusing accommodation without a legitimate reason is prohibited.
Nagano Prefecture conducted a thorough investigation, including obtaining the SNS messages from the lodging facility operator. As a result, it was confirmed that the reservation inquiry was ultimately rejected.
On the other hand, it was also confirmed that several Israeli tourists had stayed at the facility. Nagano Prefecture explained these findings and the oral warning issued to the lodging facility to the Israeli Embassy. The embassy expressed its gratitude, stating, "We thank Nagano Prefecture for taking a firm stand against discrimination."
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