Netanyahu Meets with Japanese Parliamentarians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians at his office in Jerusalem on Tuesday night.

During the meeting, Netanyahu expressed gratitude towards the delegation for their support of Israel amid what he termed the “war of salvation,” triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office indicated that they discussed various regional challenges and advancements in cooperation between Israel and Japan.

Boaz Bismuth, a Likud Party member and chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, was also present at the meeting.

Bismuth mentioned, “Along with Prime Minister Netanyahu, I met with a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians as part of diplomatic consultations to strengthen cooperation and ties between our two countries.” He underscored his commitment to enhancing Israel’s foreign policy.

The delegation then visited Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem the following morning. Saar expressed his pleasure in meeting the largest Japanese parliamentary delegation to visit Israel and reiterated the significance of their strategic partnership.

“We aim to further deepen our security ties,” he stated. Saar remarked that the ongoing terrorist activities from Hamas aimed at dismantling the state of Israel continue to affect the welfare of both Palestinians and Israelis.

He concluded by affirming a desire to strengthen the friendship between Japan and Israel. Notably, Saar had previously congratulated Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, on her historic election, expressing hopes for deeper partnerships in various sectors. Saar had also made a trip to Tokyo in May, marking the first visit by an Israeli foreign minister in 15 years.