Japan holds off on recognising Palestinian state, cites need for comprehensive review
Tokyo: Japan has decided not to recognise a Palestinian state for now, opting instead to continue its review of the issue amid pressure from both allies and international partners.
According to a report in the Asahi Shimbun, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will skip a United Nations General Assembly meeting this month that will focus on Palestinian statehood. The decision, citing unnamed government sources, underscores Japan’s cautious stance.
Japan’s position currently aligns with the United States, which has rejected calls for recognition. This contrasts with several Group of Seven (G7) members, including France, Britain, Canada, and Australia, which have announced plans to recognise Palestine during the UN assembly to step up pressure on Israel. In contrast, Germany and Italy have described immediate recognition as “counterproductive.”
The Asahi report suggested that Japan’s decision was influenced by its efforts to maintain strong ties with the United States and avoid provoking a harder stance from Israel. U.S. officials reportedly urged Tokyo not to proceed with recognition, while France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot lobbied Japan to support the move, Kyodo news agency reported last week.
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya confirmed on Tuesday that Japan was conducting “a comprehensive assessment, including appropriate timing and modalities, of the issue of recognising Palestinian statehood.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi echoed this statement on Wednesday when asked about the report.
Despite holding back on recognition, Hayashi voiced grave concern over Israel’s military operations in Gaza, warning that “the very foundations of a two-state solution could be collapsing.” He urged Israel to take steps to end the worsening humanitarian crisis, including famine.
At a UN session last Friday, Japan voted in favour of a declaration calling for “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward a two-state solution. However, Prime Minister Ishiba is expected to skip the related meeting on September 22 in New York.
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
