Japan will not recognise Palestinian state for now, Asahi reports

Dawoud Abu Alkas
Dawoud Abu Alkas
Sep 16, 2025
FILE PHOTO: Palestinians inspect a tent camp, which was sheltering displaced people, after it was damaged in an overnight Israeli air strike on a nearby residential building, in Gaza City, September 13, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Palestinians inspect a tent camp, which was sheltering displaced people, after it was damaged in an overnight Israeli air strike on a nearby residential building, in Gaza City, September 13, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo — Dawoud Abu Alkas

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan will not recognise 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 reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed government sources.

Japan's stance would run counter to moves to recognise 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 recognising a Palestinian state.

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

(Reporting by Tokyo Newsroom; Editing by Stephen Coates)