February 13, 2025

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Yamazoe Taku on February 12 criticized Prime Minister Ishiba for accepting U.S. President Trump’s arrogant policies which are in violation of international law and for committing to the strengthening of military cooperation with the United States.

In his interpellation at the House of Councilors plenary session, Yamazoe asked PM Ishiba if he had spoken up during the Japan-U.S. Summit meeting against President Trump’s attempts to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR).

Yamazoe noted that the two leaders in their joint statement “reiterated their strong opposition to any attempts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to change the status quo by force,” ignoring the fact that President Trump announced his intention to “own” the Gaza Strip after ethnically cleansing the Palestinians by force from their land.

Yamazoe pointed out that this is a blatant threat to change the status quo by force.

He again asked PM Ishiba if he is aware that President Trump’s proposal is breaching the UN Charter, international law, and the international community’s consensus for a two-state solution.

Ishiba, however, responded, “It is not appropriate to give my views on every single statement made by President Trump.”

Yamazoe, regarding the fact that Trump signed an executive order to impose sanctions on ICC officials who had issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant, asked why Japan did not endorse the joint statement issued by 79 UN members, including France, Germany, and the U.K., which condemns such measures as a threat to the international rule of law.

Ishiba did not answer the question.

Past related articles:
> JCP EC Chair criticizes PM Ishiba’s submissive stance taken at his first meeting with US President Trump [February 10, 2025]
> JCP EC Chair: Japanese gov’t should be ashamed of its failure to criticize Trump’s Gaza statements [February 7, 2025]
> JCP issues statement condemning Trump’s proposal regarding Palestine’s Gaza Strip [February 6, 2025]