Japan has reiterated its stance of not recognizing the Polisario Front, despite the separatist group’s presence at the preparatory meetings for the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-9) in Yokohama. Tokyo, stressed that this presence in no way alters its position on the Sahara.
At the opening of the senior officials’ meeting, the head of the Japanese delegation made the point clear: “The presence of an entity that Japan does not recognise as a state has no effect whatsoever on our position,” he said, noting that Japan had only extended invitations to states with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
The Polisario’s participation, he explained, came through the African Union, which invites all of its members, including the so-called “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic” (SADR).
Japan;s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya reaffirmed the same position at the start of the ministerial session: “I want to stress that the presence of any entity that Japan does not recognize as a state has no effect on Japan’s position,” he told African counterparts and representatives of international organizations.
Just days earlier, he had already reiterated that Japan “does not recognise what is called the ‘SADR’” and that “nothing has changed” in its policy.The episode comes a year after a highly publicised incident during TICAD-9 preparations in August 2024, when a Polisario member, included in the Algerian delegation, set up an improvised nameplate labeled Sahrawi Republic.” Morocco immediately protested, and tensions escalated when an Algerian diplomat physically blocked Moroccan representatives from removing the unauthorized sign.
The scene circulated widely on social media, prompting Tokyo to restate that only delegations from UN member states were officially invited.
By reaffirming its stance, Japan underscored its commitment to international law and the principles of the United Nations, a position shared by the majority of UN member states, which do not recognise the Polisario and view Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan as a credible basis for a settlement.
Morocco’s position has gained growing support, particularly from the United States, the United Kingdom and France, which back its sovereignty over the Sahara. TICAD-9, held from August 19 to 23 in Yokohama, seeks to strengthen Japan-Africa cooperation in the pursuit of stability and shared development.
MK/ac/sf/lb/gik/APA