Japan Press Weekly

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2024 March 27 - April 2 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Yamazoe: Israel’s participation in Osaka Expo cannot fit Expo’s main theme ‘Future Society for Our Lives’

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Yamazoe Taku at a meeting of the Upper House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense on March 29 demanded that the government reconsider the appropriateness of Israel’s participation in the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo as it continues its genocide in Gaza.

Yamazoe noted that when Russia in November of last year announced its withdrawal from the Expo, then Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu reacted by saying that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is incompatible with the Expo’s main theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”

On that note, Kozuki Ryosuke, senior vice minister of the Cabinet Office, commented that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine “is a serious violation of international law.”

Yamazoe asked if Israel’s actions in Gaza are consistent with the Expo theme. Kozuki answered, “It is not appropriate to equate Russia’s actions with those of Israel.”

Yamazoe criticized the government for applying double standards to claim that Russia does not fit the Expo theme but Israel does. He said, “Japan’s stance toward Expo participants will send a message to other participating countries. The JCP thinks that the Expo should be cancelled, but Japan should at the very least stop using double standards.”