April 24, 2024

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Yamazoe Taku at a meeting of the Upper House Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on April 23 pressed the Japanese government to condemn Israel for having attacked Iran.

Yamazoe said that Japan condemns attacks by Hamas, the Islamic militant group based in Gaza, and by Iran but does not condemn Israel for its attack on Iran on April 19. He criticized this stance as a flagrant “double standard” incompatible with the rule of law.

Yamazoe noted that Japan’s Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko had telephone talks with the foreign ministers of Iran and Israel on April 16 to urge restraint on both sides. However, Israel carried out the attack on Iran in defiance of warnings from Japan and the international community. Yamazoe demanded that Japan condemn Israel for escalating the situation.

Foreign Minister Kamikawa said, “In order to prevent further escalation of tensions, we continue to urge both sides to exercise restraint,” but in the end did not condemn Israel.

Past related article:
> Koike: Iran/Israel should refrain from military responses which may intensify tensions [April 16, 2024]