TOKYO — Japan will not recognise a Palestinian state for now, probably to maintain relations with the United States and to avoid a hardening of Israel's attitude, the Asahi newspaper reported on Wednesday (Sept 17), citing unidentified government sources.
Several governments, including those in Britain, France, Canada and Australia, have said they will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly this month, adding international pressure on Israel over its actions in the territory.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to skip a Sept 22 meeting on a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians during the UN gathering in New York, Asahi said.
The US had prompted Japan to forgo the recognition of a Palestinian state through several diplomatic channels, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had strongly urged his Japanese counterpart to recognise it, Kyodo news agency reported last week.
Japan has been conducting a "comprehensive assessment, including appropriate timing and modalities, of the issue of recognising Palestinian statehood," Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a news briefing on Tuesday.
At a UN meeting on Friday, Japan was among 142 nations that voted in favour of a declaration outlining "tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps" towards a two-state solution.
Within the Group of Seven nations, German and Italian officials have called an immediate recognition of Palestine "counterproductive".
[[nid:722712]]
