Japan won’t recognize Palestinian state at upcoming UN General Assembly — report

By Reuters 17 September 2025, 2:39 am

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a news conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan, September 7, 2025. (Toru Hanai/Pool Photo via AP)

TOKYO — Japan will not recognize a Palestinian state for the time being, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will skip a relevant meeting during the United Nations General Assembly this month, the Asahi newspaper reports, citing unnamed government sources.

Japan’s stance would run counter to moves to recognize a Palestinian state by France, Britain and Canada — its Group of Seven peers — as well as Australia. The stance aligns Japan with the United States, Israel’s closest ally, which has rejected the idea of recognizing a Palestinian state.

Within the G7, German and Italian officials have called an immediate recognition of Palestine “counterproductive.”