Japan-Palestine Relations
Japan-Palestine Relations (Basic Data)
January 23, 2025
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 2.3 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 Palestine: 25 (as of October 2024)
- Number of Palestinians residing in Japan: 95 (as of December 2023)
Economic Relations (Exports and Imports, 2023)
- Exports to Japan: 32 million yen (olive oil, soap, etc.)
- Imports from Japan: 523 million yen (medical equipment, track, etc.)
Economic Cooperation
VIP Visits (since 1995)
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Prime Minister MURAYAMA Tomiichi |
| 1996 | Minister for Foreign Affairs IKEDA Yukihiko |
| 1998 | Hokkaido Development Agency Director General SUZUKI Muneo Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary SUZUKI Muneo |
| 1999 | Minister for Foreign Affairs KOUMURA Masahiko State Foreign Secretary MACHIMURA Nobutaka |
| 2000 | State Foreign Secretary AZUMA Shozo |
| 2001 | Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs SUGIURA Seiken |
| 2002 | Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party YAMASAKI Taku Minister for Foreign Affairs KAWAGUCHI Yoriko |
| 2003 | Minister for Foreign Affairs KAWAGUCHI Yoriko Senior Vice Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu |
| 2004 | Special Representative KAWAGUCHI Yoriko Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs FUKUSHIMA Keishiro |
| 2005 | Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs KAWAI Katsuyuki Minister for Foreign Affairs MACHIMURA Nobutaka |
| 2006 | Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs ITO Shintaro Prime Minister KOIZUMI Junichiro Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs ITO Shintaro |
| 2007 | Special Advisor to the Prime Minister KOIKE Yuriko Minister for Foreign Affairs ASO Taro |
| 2008 | Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs NAKAYAMA Yasuhide |
| 2010 | Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs TAKEMASA Koichi |
| 2011 | Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs BANNO Yutaka |
| 2012 | Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs YAMANE Ryuji Minister for Foreign Affairs GEMBA Koichiro |
| 2013 | Minister for Foreign Affairs KISHIDA Fumio |
| 2014 | State Minister for Foreign Affairs KISHI Nobuo Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry MOTEGI Toshimitsu Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs SONOURA Kentaro |
| 2015 | Prime Minister ABE Shinzo State Minister for Foreign Affairs NAKAYAMA Yasuhide |
| 2016 | State Minister for Foreign Affairs SONOURA Kentaro |
| 2017 | State Minister for Foreign Affairs KISHI Nobuo Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry SEKO Hiroshige Special Advisors to the Prime Minister SONOURA Kentaro Minister for Foreign Affairs KONO Taro |
| 2018 | Prime Minister ABE Shinzo |
| 2019 | State Minister for Foreign Affairs SUZUKI Keisuke |
| 2021 | Minister for Foreign Affairs MOTEGI Toshimitsu |
| 2023 | Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs TAKAGI Kei |
| 2023 | Minister for Digital Transformation KONO Taro |
| 2023 | State Minister for Foreign Affairs YAMADA Kenji |
| 2023 | Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry NISHIMURA Yasutoshi |
| 2023 | Minister for Foreign Affairs KAMIKAWA Yoko |
| 2024 | State Minister for Foreign Affairs TSUJI Kiyoto |
| 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 Shtayyeh |
| 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 Shtayyeh |
| 2009 | Minister of National Economy Hasan Abu-Libdeh |
| 2010 | President Mahmoud Abbas Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki 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 (twice) President Mahmoud Abbas Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki Member of Fatah Central Committee Mohammad Shtayyeh |
| 2013 | Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki Minister of Planning Mohammad Abu Ramadan |
| 2014 | Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Rula Maaya |
| 2015 | Minister of Foreign Affairs, Riad Malki |
| 2016 | Minister of Finance and Minister of Planning, Shukri Bishara President Mahmoud Abbas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Riad Malki, Minister of National Economy, Abeer Odeh Minister of Agriculture, Sufian Sultan Minister of Local Government, Hussein Al-Aa’raj |
| 2017 | Minister of National Economy, Abeer Odeh |
| 2018 | Advisor to President of Palestine for International Affairs, Nabeel Shaath Head of Palestinian Water Authority, Mazin Ghunaim Chairman of Olympic Committee Jibril Rajoub |
| 2019 | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Information Nabil Abu-Rudeine President Mahmoud Abbas |
| 2020 | Member of PLO Executive Committee and Director General for Refugee Affairs of Palestine, Ahmad Abu-Holi |
| 2021 | Chairman of Olympic Committee Jibril Rajoub |
| 2022 | Former Prime Minister of Palestine Rami Hamdallah |
| 2023 | Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Rula Maaya |
| 2024 | Chairman of Olympic Committee Jibril Rajoub |