Japan and Middle East: Quickly Provide Support; Don’t Leave Region in Ruins

Editorial

15:30 JST, December 15, 2025

More than 70,000 residents of the Palestinian territory of Gaza have died from Israel’s military operations. It is unbearable to see cities reduced to ruins by airstrikes and other attacks.

And in Syria, which is in the process of rebuilding, a humanitarian crisis continues to unfold.

Japan, an advocate of diplomacy to achieve peace, should strengthen support and not simply leave the Middle East in its devastated state.

First, Japan must push diplomatic efforts to stabilize the ceasefire in Gaza. It is hoped that food and medicine will be provided promptly to Gaza as well as Syria through international organizations. Japan must urge other nations at the United Nations and elsewhere to work together and get humanitarian aid on track.

Last month, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and conveyed Japan’s plan to provide a ¥15.5 billion loan to Jordan, which has accepted many refugees from Gaza and Syria. Japan and Jordan signed documents regarding this matter.

The government has established a post of an ambassador in charge of assisting with the rebuilding of Gaza, naming a former diplomat to this role. It has also included ¥25 billion in grant aid, meant for Palestinians and others, in a supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2025.

Japan has already taken various measures to support the Palestinian people, such as developing large complexes for agricultural processing in order to improve food security and expand employment. Japan has traditionally had friendly relations with Arab countries, due in part to a reliance on crude oil from the Middle East.

However, ever since Israel launched military operations in Gaza, Japan has notably prioritized consideration for the United States, which supports Israel, rather than stand in solidarity with Arab nations. Tokyo has not even directly urged Israel to exercise restraint.

The Takaichi administration aims to regain the trust that Japan built over many years with Arab countries by strengthening its engagement in the Middle East. This would also be significant in terms of deepening cooperation with Global South nations.

In Gaza, efforts have emerged toward consolidating peace. In a majority vote last month, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution that supports a peace plan led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Japan welcomed this move.

The resolution centers around the creation of an International Stabilization Force tasked with maintaining security in Gaza, as well as a Board of Peace that is expected to take charge of a transitional government.

The Board of Peace will also reportedly be involved in institutional reform of the Palestinian Authority. Once the foundations for governance are established, the realization of a two-state solution, in which Israel and a Palestinian state will coexist, could come into sight.

Japan has experience in supporting the development of legal systems in Southeast Asian countries. It is crucial for Japan to send personnel to the Board of Peace and leverage such expertise to support Palestinians in achieving self-reliance.

 (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 14, 2025)