January 17, 2026

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Several Liberal Democratic Party and “Nippon Ishin no Kai” lawmakers visited Israel and met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem on January 6. This visit effectively condones the genocide being carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip. Even worse, it could encourage it.

Prior to the visit, Onodera Itsunori, chairperson of the LDP Research Commission on Security, in his post on X stated that Israel possesses world-leading technology in the fields of missile defense, cyber security, and drones, which he said will be useful when considering Japan’s future security policy. He added that they will gather a great deal of highly practical knowledge and utilize them in Japan’s defense policy.

The LDP-Ishin government led by Prime Minister Takaichi is seeking to acquire a large number of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), including Israeli-made drones, in the fiscal 2026 budget.

Israel continues to attack Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement in October 2025. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, more than 450 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect. Since the start of a massive Israeli military offensive in October 2023, the death toll has topped 71,000.

Given Japan’s pacifist Constitution, it would be unacceptable for the LDP-Ishin government to procure Israeli drones on the grounds of their practicality.

Reportedly, the government has already purchased Israeli weapons at a cost of 24.1 billion yen since October 2023. Japan should stop condoning Israel’s genocidal acts any further, even indirectly.