May 24, 2025

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru on May 22 took part in the “Defense Security Equipment International (DSEI) Japan 2025”, a massive arms fair held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, to showcase the latest defense technologies and products of over 20 Israeli military companies and other exhibitors.

On the following day, Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku at a press conference in the Diet building criticized Prime Minister Ishiba for being the first sitting prime minister to attend DSEI Japan.

Noting that more than 100 Palestinians are killed each day in Israeli attacks on Gaza, he said that he feels bitter resentment with PM Ishiba’s act of participating in the arms show displaying the same type of weapons which are used in Israel’s Gaza strikes.

In addition, he said that PM Ishiba in his lecture at the three-day event expressed his intent to aggressively promote arms exports and international joint development and production of weapons, which is totally unacceptable.