Japan's Stance on the Peace in the Middle East

1. Basic Stance

Japan supports a two-state solution whereby Israel and a future independent Palestinian state live side by side in peace and security and urges both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to exert further efforts to build mutual trust and to advance the direct negotiations in order to realize the two-state solution at the earliest possible date. Japan emphasizes that the conflict between the Israeli and the Palestinian sides should be resolved only through negotiations, based on the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the Madrid Principles, the Roadmap, the agreements previously reached by the parties and the Arab Peace Initiative, and that any violent acts must be firmly rejected.

Japan highly appreciates the peace efforts made by the United States, the Quartet and the Middle Eastern countries, and intends to contribute further to the advancement of the negotiations to the greatest extent possible based on its basic stance mentioned above, through political dialogues with the parties concerned and through promoting confidence-building between the Israeli and the Palestinian sides. Japan will also continue to extend economic assistance to the Palestinians and contribute to their state-building efforts. Furthermore, Japan will be ready to be actively engaged in the multilateral process when it is convened.

Japan is convinced that progress towards a comprehensive peace in the Middle East will ease military and political tension existing in the region and enhance the possibility for the regional prosperity, and hopes that a just, lasting and comprehensive peace will be realized at the earliest possible date. Japan urges Israel, Lebanon and Syria to launch peace negotiations as soon as possible and calls on all other countries in the Middle East to cooperate for the realization of peace. Supporting the Arab Peace Initiative, Japan urges Israel to consider the Initiative seriously and Arab countries to respond by taking concrete steps to implement the initiative.

2. The Current Situation of the Palestinian Track and Japan's Stance

While highly appreciating the courageous decisions by Israel and the Palestinian Authority to re-launch their direct negotiations, Japan is deeply concerned over the current suspension of the negotiations and strongly hopes for their immediate resumption.

Japan takes a position that it will not recognize any unilateral change by either party which may prejudge the final resolution. Japan reaffirms that Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, should be fully frozen, and reiterates its call to Israel to completely freeze the settlement activities.

Appreciating the Palestinian Authority's efforts which have led to the current improved security in the West Bank, Japan calls on all parties to cease all acts of violence and incitement.

Japan supports the vision that the borders under a two-state solution should be defined through negotiations, based on the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed swaps, in a way that will achieve peaceful co-existence of a viable Palestinian state and Israel with secure and recognized borders. Through such a two-state solution, the Palestinians will exercise their rights to establish an independent state, Israel will enjoy a greatly enhanced security environment, and both parties will be able to launch full-fledged cooperation for mutual prosperity.

The final status of Jerusalem should be resolved through negotiations in a way that reconciles the positions of both parties on their future capital. Japan stresses that it will not recognize any act which may prejudge the final status of Jerusalem, including the Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem, and expresses deep concern about the change of existing conditions of East Jerusalem, such as the demolition of Palestinian houses.

Japan considers that the issue of refugees, as an important element of the final status issues, should be resolved through negotiations between the parties concerned in a fair manner.

While welcoming the measures taken by Israel to ease the blockade of the Gaza Strip, Japan is concerned that the Gaza Strip remains under severe humanitarian conditions. Japan stresses the importance of further easing of the blockade while at the same time ensuring the prevention of the inflow of weapons into the Gaza Strip.

Japan welcomes Israel's easing of restrictions on movement and access in the West Bank which has contributed to the development of the Palestinian economy and hopes that Israel will further ease such restrictions.

3. Assistance to the Palestinians

Japan has since the Oslo Accords been committed to assistance to the Palestinians with a view to creating a favorable environment for the achievement of the Peace in the Middle East and has so far provided assistance that exceeds 1.1 billion US dollars. Japan has been working to mitigate the hardships and difficulties faced by the Palestinians and to support their economic development. Japan is also determined to contribute to the capacity- and institution- building that is required to build a future, independent and viable Palestinian state, by supporting the "Program of the 13th Government of the Palestinian Authority" including its second year's plan called "Homestretch to Freedom". Furthermore, Japan hopes to enhance such assistance in cooperation with East Asian countries.

Japan particularly wishes to continue to promote, in cooperation with the Palestinian Authority, Israel and Jordan, the "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity" initiative that is aimed to establish a business model for regional cooperation. For these purposes, expeditious efforts are called for in order to establish the Jericho Agro-Industrial Park by the end of 2012, which will invite investments, create employment and facilitate export of products to international markets.

Japan will also strengthen assistance which benefits the people in the Gaza Strip. All the suspended projects funded by Japan through UN agencies should be implemented smoothly.

In order to contribute to the efforts of the international community to the economic and social life of the Palestinian refugees, Japan will continue to work to assist them through UNRWA.

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