Japan to Send Civilians for Gaza Humanitarian and Ceasefire Support

Tokyo, The Gulf Observer: The Japanese government plans to dispatch civilian experts to an international body tasked with providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza and monitoring the ceasefire, with a focus on personnel who have prior experience working in the enclave, according to media reports.

The plan was outlined by Takeshi Okubo, who was appointed Japan’s ambassador for Gaza reconstruction assistance in November, during an interview with the newspaper. Okubo said Japan is seeking specialists from humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organizations who possess in-depth knowledge of the region.

The civilians will be assigned to the Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC), which was established in October by the United States. The CMCC includes participation from military officers and civilians from around 50 countries, including Israel, Germany and Egypt, and plays a coordinating role in humanitarian assistance and ceasefire-related activities.

“The main tasks for the Japanese civilians will be humanitarian support, the early rebuilding of the health care system, and the restoration of devastated infrastructure,” Okubo said.

He added that he visited the CMCC headquarters in Kiryat Gat in southern Israel in early December, where he informed US and Israeli counterparts of Japan’s intention to contribute civilian personnel. According to Okubo, officials from both countries expressed high expectations for Japan’s participation.

Under a Gaza peace plan brokered by US President Donald Trump, the CMCC is expected to play a central role in assistance efforts under a proposed Board of Peace, which would be chaired by Trump once established.

Okubo noted that Palestine is not currently represented in the CMCC, a factor that has raised concerns among Arab nations about a peace plan perceived as being entirely US-led. “Arab nations hold concerns about a peace plan that is completely US-led and with Palestine not participating. We want to establish a presence by taking part in the center,” he said.

A veteran diplomat, Okubo previously served as Japan’s ambassador to Lebanon and as ambassador in charge of Palestinian affairs before retiring from the Foreign Ministry in 2022.

The US-led peace plan has faced several challenges, including proposals to establish an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to maintain the ceasefire and law and order in Gaza, as well as efforts to disarm the Hamas militant group.

By sending civilians to the CMCC, Japan aims to contribute meaningfully to humanitarian assistance while maintaining close cooperation with the United States. However, divisions remain evident, as the United States and Israel did not attend a ministerial-level meeting of the Palestine Donor Group organized by the European Union and Palestine in November.

Explaining Japan’s approach, Okubo said Tokyo seeks to balance coordination with Washington while developing effective strategies for Palestinian assistance. “Japan has equally good relations with all the relevant nations, so we are in an important position for implementing assistance,” he said, adding that Japan had limited options in shaping its engagement.

According to the Palestinian public health ministry, around 380 people have been killed in Gaza following the ceasefire due to Israeli military attacks. The second phase of the peace plan envisages deploying the ISF to Gaza and disarming Hamas, though Okubo said there is significant uncertainty over whether such disarmament is feasible, given the positions of countries such as Qatar and Turkey, which maintain ties with Hamas.

He also said it is highly unlikely that Japan’s Self-Defense Forces would be dispatched to Gaza, citing the lack of a clearly defined mission and the absence of a fully implemented ceasefire.

Japan has maintained a willingness to provide assistance to Palestine, and a supplementary budget currently before the Upper House includes 25 billion yen (approximately $160 million) in financial support to be channelled through international organizations.

“There are no limits to the support needs,” Okubo said. “We want to provide support that protects the lives of each individual,” including assistance with clearing unexploded ordnance, rehabilitation education, and providing prosthetic limbs and psychological support for children affected by the conflict in Gaza.