Overview

• Speaking at the General Debate in New York, Shigeru Ishiba demanded an immediate halt to Israel’s expanded ground operation in Gaza and called the humanitarian toll unacceptable.
• He said recognizing a Palestinian state is a matter of when rather than whether, reiterating Japan’s support for a two-state solution.
• Ishiba argued the Security Council has not fully functioned and urged expansion of both permanent and non-permanent seats, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Analysts caution that enlargement remains unlikely as the five permanent members aim to preserve their veto power and other contenders press their claims.
• During the short trip, the outgoing leader is seeking a brief meeting with President Donald Trump and holding talks with António Guterres and European counterparts before returning to Japan this week.