March 29, 2025

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Daimon Mikishi on March 28 at a House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting demanded that the government have the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) stop investing in the Israeli military-related companies.

According to Daimon, the GPIF, which manages employees’ and national pension funds, has been investing in companies, including Israel’s largest military firm Elbit Systems and U.S. Caterpillar Inc., which supply weapons to the Israel military. The JCP lawmaker noted that civil groups four days earlier held a rally in the Diet building under the slogan, “Don’t use public pension funds for Israel’s genocide in Gaza!” He asked if the government intends to withdraw the funding.

Welfare Minister Fukuoka Takamaro in reply said that under the current system, GPIF-commissioned companies decide where to invest, adding that it is inappropriate for the government to force the GPIF to make an investment decision that is counter to the purpose of the pension reserve fund management, which is for the benefit of the insured.

Daimon cited the fact that the GPIF in the past withdrew its investment from a Chinese company on the grounds that the company was designated as a military firm and subjected to trading restrictions by the U.S. government. He stressed that divestment from Israel will be possible if the government, from a humanitarian perspective, decides to not allow trading with companies having a part in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru stopped short of talking explicitly about a divestment decision, basically, refusing to do so.