Khaldon Azhari

TOKYO:  Japan continues to consider the best timing for the recognition of Palestine as a state, Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu said.

“We continue to support the two-state solution in which Israel and the future independent Palestinian state coexist peacefully and safely, and we understand the aspirations of Palestinian people to establish their independent state and we are supporting the Palestinian efforts toward this,” Motegi said at a press conference replying to a question from Arab News Japan on the prospects of Middle East peace process.

Recently, some Arab countries, including UAE, Bahrain and Morocco,  have established diplomatic relations with Israel, while the situation seems to have been at a dead end between Israel and Palestinians and some other Arab countries in the region.

“Given the unique position that Japan has built in the Middle East, we would like to be most effective and will continue to contribute significantly to the progress of the peace process, and to recognize the state of Palestine at an appropriate time in the future,” Motegi stated.

Japan has provided more than one billion dollars in various aid forms to aid the Palestinians.