October 17, 2024

Holding a banner that reads, “Gov’t must cancel its plan to import Israeli-made attack drones!”, a group of antiwar activists on October 16 gathered near the venue of the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition to protest against the participation of an Israeli military company in the event.

Japanese Communist Party members of the House of Councilors Yamazoe Taku and Inoue Satoshi sent to this action messages in solidarity.

The company in question is Israel’s largest military firm, Elbit Systems. It supplies vast quantities of military equipment to the Israeli military which continues carrying out a genocide in Gaza in violation of international law. Elbit produces 85% of the military drones used for Israel’s deadly attacks on Gaza. The company was not invited to the Eurosatory 2024 international defense and security exposition, which took place in June in Paris.

The Defense Ministry in its budget request for FY2025 included funds for introducing about 310 attack drones. The ministry has conducted operational verification tests on five drones. Of them, four were made by Israeli companies, including Elbit.

In the protest, the civil group pointed out that the Israeli military uses drones to kill Gaza civilians. The protesters strongly opposed the participation of Elbit and U.S. defense companies which export arms to Israel in the aero expo, and called for the Defense Ministry’s plan to introduce Israeli-made drones be cancelled.

Past related article:
> JCP Yamazoe: Stop introducing Israeli-made drones, benefiting Israeli war industry [March 13, 2024]