August 23, 2025

The Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers’ group on August 22 demanded that the Japanese government take immediate and concrete action to protect the lives and human rights of Palestinians in Gaza facing genocide and starvation.

The group also demanded that Japan recognize Palestine as a state and impose sanctions on Israel.

JCP Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko (Lower House), Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku (Upper House), and Lower House Dietmembers Motomura Nobuko and Horikawa Akiko handed a written demand to Miyake Hirofumi, deputy director-general/deputy assistant minister of Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the Diet building.

Tamura explained the reason behind the demand, stating, “The situation has become dire, with Israel’s attacks continuously resulting in the deaths of children. We made this urgent demand because the situation has reached an unprecedented level.” Referring to last year’s UN General Assembly resolution calling on UN member states to impose sanctions on Israel, she urged the government to work with the international community in this regard.

MOFA senior official Miyake expressed a cautious stance on sanctions, saying, “Economic ties between Japan and Israel are deepening.” In response, Tamura said, “Israel has been continuously committing serious violations of international law. It should be subjected to international sanctions.”

Regarding the Japanese government’s policy of importing unmanned attack drones from Israel, the JCP EC Chair said, “Purchasing massive amounts of weapons from a country engaged in a campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing is unbelievable.”

JCP Yamazoe demanded the immediate recognition of a Palestinian state. Miyake of the MOFA responded, “Thorough discussions are being conducted within the government on that matter ahead of the September UN General Assembly.”

JCP Motomura criticized the U.S. Trump administration for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. She stated, “Japan should demand that the U.S. cease all its support for Israel’s atrocities.”