Japan to hold off on recognising Palestinian state amid US pressure

The Japanese government has decided to postpone recognising Palestine as a sovereign state, citing concerns that such a move could further complicate the conflict and strain relations with the United States.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is not expected to attend the upcoming international conference on the Palestinian issue, scheduled for September 22 in New York during the UN General Assembly’s “High-Level Week”, Caliber.Az reports via Japanese media.

According to government sources, Tokyo weighed its position carefully after France, the United Kingdom, and other countries declared in July their intention to recognise Palestine. The conference in New York is expected to place the “two-state solution”—the vision of Israel and Palestine coexisting as independent states—at the centre of discussions.

However, officials within the Japanese government voiced concern that extending recognition at this stage could harden Israel’s stance and potentially hinder, rather than help, the two-state framework. Washington has also made its position clear: the Trump administration, which has consistently maintained a pro-Israel approach, strongly opposes recognition of Palestine and reportedly conveyed its disapproval to Tokyo.

Currently, around 150 countries worldwide have recognised Palestine as a state.

By Vugar Khalilov