Khaldon Azhari Tokyo

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a press conference June 30 that the Japanese government has supported and will continue to support a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, effectively rejecting Israel’s annexation plans for the West Bank.

In response to Arab News Japan’s question, Motegi said that the issues between Palestinians and Israelis “should be solved through negotiations and our position has not been changed.”

Israel currently plans to annex part of the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley, but Japan stands against that and opposes the annexation of disputed territories in principle and has shown concern about such a trend spreading internationally, as it could have implications for Tokyo’s claims to islands disputed by Russia, China and South Korea.

Japan is supportive of Palestinian rights to their land based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and has accused Israel of violating international law by expanding settlements into occupied Palestinian territory.