The aviation division of Japan’s Itochu Corporation has announced it will end its strategic cooperation with the Elbit Israeli defense firm by the end of this month.
“The partnership is based on a request from the Japan’s defense ministry for the purpose of importing defense equipment for the Self-Defense Forces necessary for Japan’s security, and is not in any way related to the current conflict between Israel and Palestine,” Itochu Chief Financial Officer Tsuyoshi Hachimura told an earnings press conference earlier this week.
“Taking into consideration the International Court of Justice’s order on January 26, and that the Japanese government supports the role of the Court, we have already suspended new activities related to the MOU, and plan to end the MOU by the end of February,” he said.
The ICJ — which is the judicial arm of the United Nations — last month issued a preliminary ruling in response to South Africa’s accusation that Israel is committing genocide in its war against the Hamas terrorists who tortured and slaughtered more than 1,200 people after invading southern Israel on October 7, and abducted 253 more as hostages, dragging them into Gaza captivity.
In its ruling, the Court accepted South Africa’s argument that it has jurisdiction and that Israel could possibly be proven to be committing genocide.
However, the Court rejected a request from South Africa to order a halt to Israel’s defensive war against Hamas in Gaza.
In its provisional ruling, the Court ordered the Jewish State to “take all necessary means to prevent actions that could lead to genocide” and dismissed South Africa’s demand that residents of the northern Gaza Strip be allowed to return to the area immediately.
A final decision from the Court could take years.
