Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japanese Communist Party (JCP) lawmaker DAIMON Mikishi has demanded that the Japanese government instruct the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) to stop investing in Israeli military-related companies, the party’s newspaper Akahata reported.

According to Daimon, the GPIF, which manages employees’ and national pension funds, has been investing in companies that supply weapons to the Israel military. Such companies include Israel’s largest military firm, Elbit Systems, and Caterpillar of the United States.

The JCP lawmaker noted that civil groups in Japan had held a rally in Japan’s parliament building under the slogan, “Don’t use public pension funds for Israel’s genocide in Gaza!” He asked if the government intends to take action to stop investments in these companies.

In response, Welfare Minister FUKUOKA Takamaro said that under the current system companies commissioned by the GPIF decide where to invest. In addition, he said it would be inappropriate for the government to force the GPIF to make an investment decision that is counter to the purpose of the pension reserve fund management, which is to benefit the insured.

Daimon cited the fact that the GPIF in the past withdrew its investment from a Chinese company on the grounds that the company was designated as a military firm and subjected to trading restrictions by the US government. He stressed that divestment from Israel would be possible if the government, from a humanitarian perspective, decided to prevent trading with companies that are contributing to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.