Japan’s Foreign Policy Regarding the Arab-Israeli Conflict and the Palestinian Question from the Perspective of Three Factors

This chapter analyzes Japan’s foreign policy regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Palestinian question from the perspective of three factors: the importance of Japan’s relationship with Arab countries, centered around stable energy supply; the maintenance of a robust Japan-U.S. alliance, crucial for Japan’s security framework; and the post-war diplomatic principles of pursuing peace and stability in the international community. These three factors have been crucial for Japan’s security, economy, and foreign policy philosophy, and Japan has struggled with how to harmonize these factors when formulating its policies on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the Palestinian question. Indeed, these three factors do not necessarily always function harmoniously. This chapter examines how these factors have influenced Japan’s policy decisions in the following three cases: the shift toward a pro-Arab policy following the 1973 oil crisis, the expansion of relations with Israel against the backdrop of Japan-U.S. economic friction in the 1980s, and Japan’s active engagement in the Middle East peace process in the 1990s. Finally, this chapter explores how the three factors function relating to Japan’s responses to the ongoing Gaza crisis.