(Front L to R) Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed attend the opening session of the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Tunisia's capital Tunis on August 27, 2022. - Japan opened the Africa investment conference seeking to counter the influence of rival China which has steadily grown its economic imprint on the continent. It takes place amid a "complex" international environment caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Some 30 heads of state and government are expected to attend the event at a time when the import-dependent North African nation is grappling with a deepening economic malaise. (Photo by FETHI BELAID / POOL / AFP)
During the preparatory meeting for the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), which commenced yesterday in Tokyo, another session was held on Saturday morning.
The Polisario Front was present at the meeting, just as it had been the previous day. However, the presence of the group did not go unnoticed, prompting a clear response from the Japanese government.
In his speech, the Japanese minister stated:
“Regarding the entity (Polisario), Japan does not recognize it as a state, and its presence here does not affect Japan’s stance” (accompanied by a video).
The crux of the matter is that Japan responded to the Polisario Front’s participation in the TICAD meeting by unequivocally and officially reiterating that it does not recognize the group as a legitimate state. Moreover, Japan emphasized that the Polisario’s participation would not alter its stance in any way.
By attempting to portray a false recognition by Japan, Algeria and the Polisario Front have, in fact, achieved the opposite. The Japanese minister’s official statement reaffirmed in front of all of Africa and the world that Japan does not acknowledge the Polisario Front as a state, and its participation in the conference does not, under any circumstances, influence Japan’s position.
This development underscores Japan’s firm and consistent policy regarding the matter, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to its diplomatic principles and the integrity of international law.
