June 6, 2025

Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Shii Kazuo sent a video message to an international conference held in Paris on June 4 in solidarity with the people of Palestine. The conference was co-hosted by the French Communist Party and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Shii’s message was translated into French and presented during the conference. The full text of his message is as follows:

Message to the International Conference in Solidarity with Palestine

SHII Kazuo
Chair, Japanese Communist Party Central Committee

Friends,

On behalf of the Japanese Communist Party, I extend my warmest greetings of solidarity and friendship to all participants attending the conference. As the situation in the Middle East reaches a critical juncture, I wish to pay sincere tribute to the French Communist Party for organizing this important gathering in cooperation with the PLO.

Horrific criminal acts continue: Israel is further demolishing Gaza, a small strip of land already reduced to rubble—killing women and children, and condemning those remaining to starvation.

At a recent UN Security Council meeting, the Palestinian ambassador accused Israel of killing over 1,300 children since it broke the ceasefire in March. He described the heartrending scene of a mother cradling her child's lifeless body, gently stroking their hair, and tearfully whispering again and again, “I’m sorry”.

Israel’s criminal acts represent a further escalation of the ongoing genocide, drive the humanitarian crisis of the population to its limits, and amount to ethnic cleansing. I join all participants in this conference in vehemently denouncing these atrocities with heartfelt outrage.

I strongly call on Israel to immediately halt its ground operation and indiscriminate attacks in Gaza, which represent grave violations of the UN Charter, international law, and international humanitarian law. I further urge Israel to stop the forced displacement of Palestinian residents in the West Bank and to end its illegal and violent settlement expansion there. Hamas must immediately release the remaining hostages.

Friends,

Unified action by the international community is urgently needed to stop the unlawful killings and occupation.

Last year, based on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on Israel to end its occupation policy within one year, urging member states to implement non-military measures, including sanctions, such as imposing a ban on arms exports to Israel and imports from the illegal settlements. I strongly call on the international community, including the business community, to implement sanctions against Israel in accordance with this UN resolution.

The U.S. President Trump repeatedly made appalling statements that disregarded the UN Charter and international law—such as advocating for the forced displacement of Gaza residents or suggesting the U.S. ownership of Gaza. These statements emboldened the Netanyahu administration and further fueled its unlawful actions. I strongly urge the Trump administration to end its support for Israel, including its political backing and its large-scale military assistance.

Friends,

In parliamentary debates, the Japanese Communist Party has repeatedly urged the Japanese government to take a critical stance toward Israel’s atrocities as well as the Trump administration’s support for them. I myself pressed Prime Minister Ishiba in a Diet session to call on President Trump to withdraw his unlawful remarks advocating for the forced displacement of Gaza residents and the U.S. ownership of Gaza. The JCP has consistently demanded that the Japanese government end its military cooperation with Israel, cancel planned imports of drones from the country, and take concrete measures to impose sanctions against Israel.

The Japanese government must never be made effectively complicit in Israel’s criminal genocide in Gaza, despite the fact that Japan has Article 9 of Japan’s pacifist constitution.

In Japan, an increasing number of citizens including youths are raising their voices in protest and demanding an end to the genocide and illegal occupation. Let us strengthen the international solidarity movement further to stop the genocide and occupation.

Friends,

The JCP has consistently argued that a just solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict should be based on the following three principled positions: (1) Israel’s withdrawal from the unlawful occupation in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967; (2) realization of the right to self-determination, including Palestinians’ right to establish an independent state; and (3) creation of a mutual recognition to respect the right to coexistence. I strongly urge the Japanese government to promptly recognize the State of Palestine and contribute appropriately to the success of the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which begins at the United Nations on June 17.

Israel’s long-standing reign of lawlessness and injustice must come to an end. Above all, the genocide in Gaza must be halted without delay. To this end, we must urgently intensify our efforts to intensify international solidarity and support for the Palestinian people.

Stop genocide in Gaza. Let us join forces to end the genocide and occupation, and achieve a just peace in the Middle East.