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History

Further information: Valley of Peace initiative

In 1993 both nations signed the "Convention between Japan and the State of Israel for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income."¹⁰ In 2000, the two nations signed the "Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the State of Israel for Air Services."¹¹ There were 708 Japanese nationals in Israel as of October 1999 and 604 Israeli nationals in Japan as of December 1998.¹²

The Japanese government appointed Yoshinori Katori, press secretary at the Foreign Ministry, as ambassador to Israel on August 1, 2006. Katori previously served as minister to South Korea and director-general of the Consular Affairs Bureau before assuming the current post in August 2005.¹³ In September 2008, Katori ended his post to Israel and was replaced by ambassador Haruhisa Takeuchi, who presented his credentials on December 1, 2008.

In July 2006, Japan announced a plan for peace called "Corridor for Peace and Prosperity", which would be based on common economic development and effort by Israelis and Palestinians, rather than on continuous contention over land.¹⁴ Shimon Peres gave this idea much attention during his participation in an international conference in New York in September 2006 which was organized by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.¹⁵

In July 2008, the Japanese government reiterated its support for the plan in meetings with Israelis and Palestinians, and urged the sides to continue working towards completion. Japan also indicated specific support for an agro-industrial park to be built near Jericho, and said it hopes to begin construction by 2009.¹⁶¹⁷

It was not until approximately 2014, when the governments of both respective countries pledged to each other to significantly upgrade the bilateral diplomatic and business ties between them. This rapid warming of relations is evidenced by the two countries entering into a number of important political and economic agreements – from a series of high-level dialogues on national security and cybersecurity to their first bilateral investment agreement – transforming their once limited bilateral relationship into one more characteristic of allied partners, a process that has been described as "rising sun relations" in Foreign Affairs magazine.¹⁸

Since the mid-2010s, bilateral ties between Israel and Japan have strengthened significantly, creating enumerable mutual investments between the two nations. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe visited Israel twice – once in 2015¹⁹ and a second time in 2018.²⁰ In May 2014, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Japan.²¹

In 2021, there were 1,156 Japanese citizens living in Israel and 589 Israelis living in Japan.²²

In 2024, Israel were not invited to Nagasaki's annual peace ceremony by the city's mayor Shiro Suzuki over "security risks and potential disruption".²³

In June 2025, Japan condemned Israeli strikes against Iran, calling them "completely unacceptable and deeply regrettable".²⁴

Economy

See also: Free trade agreements of Israel

Up until the 1990s, Japan was the sole industrialized East Asian nation that acquiesced most strongly to the Arab demands to boycott Israel. As a result, economic relations between Japan and the Jewish state have been limited for much of the State of Israel's history.²⁵

Israeli exports to Japan, consisting primarily of polished diamonds, chemical products, machinery, electrical equipment, and citrus fruit are worth $810 million. Japanese exports to Israel, consisting primarily of motor vehicles, machinery, electrical equipment, and chemical products are collectively worth $1.3 billion.²⁶

Since the 2010s, trade between Israel and Japan have expanded considerably with economic relations between the two countries having increased significantly, particularly in the realm of high-technology, as well as the forging of partnerships between start-up companies and venture capitalists among the two nations. According to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), 35 Japanese companies had subsidiaries in Israel by 2015 with as many as 50 by November 2016.²⁷

In 2021, data compiled by consulting firm Harel-Hertz shows a surge of $1.1 billion of Japanese investment in the Israeli high-technology industry.²⁸ Total Japanese investment in Israel's high technology industry was $2.9 billion in 2021.²⁹ Japanese investors accounted for 15.8% of all foreign investment in the Israeli economy.³⁰ Total volume of trade is $3.574 billion.³¹

As of 2022, Israel and Japan are negotiating a free trade deal.³² The move according to Times of Israel will help boost Japanese exports and make Japanese exports cheaper for Israeli consumers.³³ About 90 Japanese companies worked in 2023 in Israel, triple the number in 2014.³⁴

In 2023, Israel and Japan signed a "Work-Holiday" agreement which allows citizens of either country to work for up to a year in the other country. This agreement came in part due to Japanese interest in Israel's high technology sector and in Israel's human talent.³⁵ The agreement is aimed at citizens between the ages of 18 and 30.³⁶ Direct flights between Tokyo and Tel Aviv commenced in 2023, operated by Israeli airline, El Al.³⁷ Ambassador Gilad Cohen remarked following the signage of the agreement: "Israelis and Japanese [people] have never been closer. I am sure that our relations will continue to deepen and we will continue to collaborate for the benefit of the citizens of Israel and Japan."³⁸

Defense

Israel and Japan signed in 2022 a defense cooperation deal, focused on equipment, defense technology and more.³⁹⁴⁰ Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the deal will help Japan advance a “free and open Indo-Pacific,”.⁴¹

Following the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip and Gaza war, Japanese company Itochu Corporation announced in February 2024 that it will end its partnership with Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems by the end of February.⁴²

Academic relations

Universities in both countries are making special efforts to conduct lively exchange of studies. In May 2012, a symposium to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the diplomatic relations was held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to discuss issues of regional, bilateral, and cultural exchanges. The Israeli Association of Japanese studies was also launched on that occasion.

Public opinion

According to a 2025 Pew Reserach Center survey, 13% of people in Japan had a favorable view of Israel, while 79% had an unfavorable view; 10% had confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while 78% did not.⁴³

Friendship leagues

• 1965 Japan-Israel Friendship Association⁴⁴
• 1984 Japan-Israel Parliamentary Friendship League⁴⁵
• 1996 Japan-Israel Chamber of Commerce⁴⁶

Bilateral Treaties and Agreements

Visits

See also

• Israel portal
• Japan portal

• Foreign relations of Israel
• Foreign relations of Japan
• Antisemitism in Japan
• History of the Jews in Japan
• International recognition of Israel
• Japanese-Jewish common ancestry theory
• Lod Airport massacre
• Makuya
• Joseph Ivor Linton (first Israeli Minister in Japan)

This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Country Studies. Federal Research Division.

Further reading

• Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, The Fugu Plan. New York: Weatherhill, Inc. (1979)
• John Katz, Israeli–Japanese Relations, 1948–1963 Tel Aviv: Saar (2007)
• Matthew Brummer and Eitan Oren, Israel and Japan's Rising Sun Relations''. Foreign Affairs (2017)
• Nakamura, Satoru, and Wright, Steven, eds. Japan and the Middle East (Springer Nature Singapore, 2023). online.

External links

• Japan-Israel Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website

References

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3. Relations with Asian States Archived 2018-04-30 at the Wayback Machine Library of Congress Country Studies http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+il0140) ↩

4. Lipshiz, Cnaan (6 January 2015). "After decades of distance, Japan seeks closer ties with Israel". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2015. https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-decades-of-distance-japan-seeks-closer-ties-with-israel/ ↩

5. "PM Netanyahu meets with Japanese PM Shinzō Abe". mfa.gov.il. 18 January 2015. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021. http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/PressRoom/2015/Pages/PM-Netanyahu-meets-with-Japanese-PM-Abe-18-Jan-2015.aspx ↩

6. Landau, Noa (2 May 2018). "Japan's Abe Tells Netanyahu: Israel Must Curb Settlements, Won't Move Embassy to Jerusalem". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2018-05-02/ty-article/japans-abe-voices-continued-support-for-two-state-solution/0000017f-f7ab-d318-afff-f7eb48a60000 ↩

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