During his address to the United Nations on Tuesday, September 24, 2025, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba firmly stated that Japan’s recognition of the State of Palestine is a matter of “when, not if.” He also expressed strong indignation regarding recent statements from Israeli officials.
Currently, approximately 80% of UN member states recognize Palestine. This week alone, several nations, including Britain, Canada, and France, have formally recognized the state, a development occurring nearly two years into the conflict in Gaza.
Prime Minister Ishiba conveyed his deep resentment towards senior Israeli government officials’ remarks, which he described as unequivocally rejecting the concept of Palestinian statehood.
He reiterated that Japan’s stance is not a question of whether Palestine will be recognized, but rather when it will occur, emphasizing that “continued unilateral actions by the Government of Israel can never be accepted.”
Ishiba further warned that if Israel takes any actions that impede the achievement of a two-state solution, Japan would be “compelled to take new measures in response.”
This recent surge in international recognition for Palestine comes in the wake of the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, which began after the October 7, 2023, attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.
The United States, under former President Donald Trump, has previously argued that recognizing Palestine would be seen as an endorsement of Hamas’s attack, which led to the deaths of 1,219 Israelis, predominantly civilians, based on official figures.
In the nearly two years following the October 7th attack, Israeli military operations have tragically claimed the lives of 65,382 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory. The United Nations regards these figures as reliable.
As a G7 member and a close ally of the United States, Japan currently hosts approximately 54,000 U.S. military personnel.
Other Asian nations, such as South Korea and Singapore, have similarly refrained from officially recognizing Palestine as a state.
Prime Minister Ishiba acknowledged the widespread sorrow caused by “the terror inflicted by Hamas and the devastation in Gaza we are witnessing today.”
He underscored the importance of a sustainable Palestinian state coexisting peacefully alongside Israel.
Ishiba concluded by stating that as Palestine is welcomed to take its place as a responsible member of the international community, it must establish a governance system rooted in accountability.