Iftar with the Islamic Diplomatic Corps in Japan

On March 14, 2025, Prime Minister Ishiba hosted an Iftar with the Islamic Diplomatic Corps in Japan at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address:

“I am Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan. Ladies and gentlemen, Ramadan Mubarak.

Today, I am delighted to invite the Islamic Diplomatic Corps, Japan’s important friends, and various parliamentary friendship associations and other distinguished guests to hold an Iftar.

The international community is facing a major turning point in history now. We have witnessed deeper division and confrontation within the international community in its response to the situation in the Middle East, the situation in Ukraine, and increasingly serious global issues. Japan is also facing the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II.

The situation in the Middle East remains tense, and in particular, the Gaza Strip has continued to see extremely harsh humanitarian conditions.

It is important to return to the spirits of ‘harmony’ and ‘tolerance,’ which Japan and the Islamic world share, so that the international community will go into the direction of cooperation, rather than division or confrontation.

Japan has thus far kept these spirits in mind and forged friendly relations with many countries around the globe. I went to Malaysia and Indonesia, where Muslim people account for the majority of the population, on my first bilateral visits since I assumed the post of Prime Minister, and reaffirmed the intention to work together toward peace and stability in the Middle East.

Going forward, Japan will continue its proactive diplomatic efforts to calm down the situation in the Middle East and improve humanitarian conditions in the region. Japan has consistently supported a two-state solution and is determined to actively strive for its realization.

I am a member of the suprapartisan parliamentary group on humanitarian diplomacy, which has been working hard so that we can provide medical treatment in Japan for injured and sick people in the Gaza Strip.

The Osaka Kansai Expo and TICAD 9 (Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development) take place in Japan this year. We intend to make the most of these opportunities to foster ties of trust and friendship between Japan and Islamic countries toward the future.

Do you know this mysterious creature? This is MYAKU-MYAKU.

I have recently made visits here and there with this MYAKU-MYAKU, and to my surprise, it is well-received overseas. There are only 30 days to go before the expo begins. I sincerely hope that all of you and people of your countries will come to the Osaka Kansai Expo.

It was 55 years ago when we held an expo in Osaka last time. I was in the second year of junior high school in the countryside back in 1970. I visited the event as I heard a lunar rock was on display at the U.S. pavilion. I stood in line for hours and had only one minute to see it. It looked an ordinary rock to me.

This year Japan plans to showcase a Martian rock at its pavilion. It is not that we went to Mars to take it; we conducted an analysis of a rock that fell tens of thousands of years ago – in Antarctica, I guess – and found that it is from Mars. I believe that it is probably true.

The theme of the Kansai Expo is designing future [society] for our lives. I sincerely hope that each and every one of you can actually feel what a future society for our lives is.

I believe that many of you will come to the event – and I am certain that each participating country has its own National Day – and dignitaries will visit Japan. We would extend our hearty welcome in the hope that it will serve as an opportunity to further develop ties and trust between Muslim people and Japan.

I would like to conclude my remarks by expressing my sincere wish that this occasion tonight will be an opportunity to further deepen our friendly relations. Thank you.”