Japan-Palestinian Authority Relations (Basic Data)

August 2013

Basic Data

General: Japan supports a two-state solution whereby Israel and a future independent Palestinian state live side by side in peace and security. Japan has continued support for the Palestinians’ right of self-determination, and their desire to establish a state. Japan’s assistance exceeds 1.35 billion US dollars in total since 1993. In addition, the Japanese Government and the Palestinian Authority have steadily developed the friendly relations, which are represented in frequent VIP visits between the two sides (see the following “VIPs Visit”).
Bilateral Relations;: 1977 Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) opened the office in Tokyo.; 1995 PLO closed the office in Tokyo.; 1998 Japan opened the Representative office of Japan to the Palestinian Authority in Gaza.; 2003 The Palestinian Authority re-opened the Permanent General Mission of Palestine in Tokyo.; 2007 The Representative office of Japan to the Palestinian Authority moved from Gaza to Ramallah.
Number of Residents:: Number of Japanese Nationals residing in the Palestinian Territories: 31(as of Dec 2011); Number of Palestinians residing in Japan; about 70 (as of 2011)
Economic Relations (Exports and Imports, 2010): Exports to Japan: $0.47 million (stone, olive oil, etc…)
Imports from Japan: $3.53 million (Tuna can, etc…)
Economic Cooperation: Japan's Assistance to the Palestinians(Fact Sheet/July 2013)(PDF)

To the Palestinian Territories

Year	Name
1995	Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama
1996	Minister for Foreign Affairs Yukihiko Ikeda
1998	Hokkaido Development Agency Director General Muneo Suzuki Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Muneo Suzuki
1999	Minister for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura State Foreign Secretary Nobutaka Machimura
2000	State Foreign Secretary Shozo Azuma
2001	Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Seiken Sugiura
2002	3 Secretary Generals of ruling coalition Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party Taku Yamasaki
2003	Senior Vice Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi
2004	Special Representative Yoriko Kawaguchi Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Keishiro Fukushima
2005	Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Katsuyuki Kawai Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobutaka Machimura
2006	Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shintaro Ito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shintaro Ito
2007	Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Yuriko Koike Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso
2008	Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasuhide Nakayama
2010	Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichi Takemasa
2011	Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Yutaka Banno
2012	Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Ryuji Yamane Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba
2013	Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida

To Japan

Year	Name
1981	Chairman of PLO Yasser Arafat
1989	Chairman of PLO Yasser Arafat
1996	Chairman of PLO Yasser Arafat
1997	Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nabil Sha’ath
1999	Chairman of PLO / President of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat (twice)
2000	Minister of International Cooperation Nabil Sha’ath Chairman of PLO / President of the PA Yasser Arafat
2002	Chairman of the Palestinian Legislative Council Ahmed Qurei Minister of International Cooperation Nabil Sha’ath and Minister of Economy, Industry and Trade Maher Al Masri
2004	Minister of International Cooperation Nabil Sha’ath and Minister of Finance Salam Fayyad Chief Negotiator of PLO Saeb Erekat, Minister of Detainee Affairs Omar Abdul Raziq and Minister of PECDAR Mohammad Shtyyeh
2005	President Mahmoud Abbas
2007	Chief Negotiator of PLO Saeb Erekat Minister of Foreign Affairs Ziad Abu Amr
2008	Chief Negotiator of PLO Saeb Erekat and Minister of PECDAR Mohammad Shtyyeh
2009	Minister of National Economy Hasan Abu-Libdeh
2010	President Mahmoud Abbas Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Maliki and Minister of Planning and Administrative Development Ali Jarbawi
2011	Member of Fatah Central Committee Mohammad Shtyyeh Chairman of Olympic Committee Jibril Rajoub
2012	Secretary General of PLO Yasser Abd Rabbo Chairman of Olympic Committee Jibril Rajoub President Mahmoud Abbas
2013	Prime Minister Salam Fayyad