Japan will not recognise Palestinian state for now, Asahi reports

Japanese national flags flutter in front of buildings in Japan, February 22, 2016.
Reuters

Japan will not recognise a Palestinian state for the time being, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will skip a relevant meeting during the United Nations General Assembly this month, the Asahi newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed government sources.

Japan's stance would run counter to moves to recognise a Palestinian state by France, Britain and Canada - its Group of Seven peers - as well as Australia.

The stance aligns Japan with the United States, Israel's closest ally, which has rejected the idea of recognising a Palestinian state.

Within the G7, German and Italian officials have called an immediate recognition of Palestine "counterproductive".

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