Japan diverges from G7, urging restraint in Israel-Iran conflict

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has affirmed Tokyo’s position of calling for “maximum restraint” from both Israel and Iran, despite a G7 statement earlier this week that supported Israel’s “right to self-defense.”

During a meeting of ruling and opposition party leaders on Thursday, Ishiba stated, “What the foreign minister said is the stance of the Japanese government. The G7 is the G7,” as reported by Tomoko Tamura, head of the Japanese Communist Party.

Japan, a close US ally in Asia, has long maintained friendly relations with Iran and has historically adopted a neutral approach to Middle East diplomacy, distinguishing itself from the pro-Israel stance of US administrations. Tokyo relies on the Middle East for the overwhelming majority of its crude oil imports.

G7 leaders convened in Kananaskis, Canada, and issued a statement backing Israel’s attacks on Iran. The statement affirmed Israel’s right to self-defense and condemned Iran as the “main source of regional instability and terrorism.” On June 13, when Israel’s attacks on Iran began, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya declared: “The use of military force while diplomatic efforts are ongoing… is completely unacceptable and a source of deep regret. The Japanese government strongly condemns these actions.”

Iwaya added, “Japan is gravely concerned about the continuation of retaliatory attacks and strongly condemns any actions that could further escalate the situation.”

He continued, “Japan urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint and strongly calls for a de-escalation of tensions.”

During the meeting of party leaders, Tomoko Tamura, head of the Japanese Communist Party, highlighted the apparent contradiction between Iwaya’s statements and the joint G7 communiqué, suggesting the government was applying a “double standard.”

Prime Minister Ishiba responded, “What the foreign minister said is the stance of the Japanese government. The G7 is the G7.”

Meanwhile, the foreign minister announced at a press conference on Friday that a total of 87 Japanese nationals and their family members had been evacuated by land from Iran and Israel. Sixty-six individuals were evacuated from Iran to neighboring Azerbaijan, and 21 were evacuated from Israel to Jordan.

Following additional requests from Japanese citizens, a second land evacuation from Iran is scheduled for Saturday. Currently, there are approximately 220 Japanese nationals in Iran and about 1,000 in Israel.

In preparation for potential air evacuations, the government plans to dispatch two Air Self-Defense Force military transport aircraft to Djibouti in East Africa to have them on standby. With airports in Iran and Israel closed, Iwaya noted that the aircraft could be used if, for example, the airports reopen and conditions permit an airlift.