RAMALLAH, January 11, 2026 (WAFA) – Vice President and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein al-Sheikh on Sunday received Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Ramallah.
The meeting discussed the latest political and humanitarian developments in the occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as bilateral relations and ways to enhance them.
The Vice President conveyed the greetings of President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as his personal greetings, to Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and to Emperor Naruhito, commending the depth of friendship and cooperation linking the two friendly countries.
The Vice President expressed the State of Palestine’s high appreciation for Japan’s firm positions in support of achieving a just peace based on the two-state solution and international legitimacy, praising Japan’s support for the New York Declaration and its constructive role on the international stage.
He also thanked the Japanese government for the new humanitarian and development assistance provided to the Palestinian people, and for its continued support for development efforts and Palestinian capacity-building, particularly the Corridor for Peace and Prosperity project, including the Jericho Agro-Industrial Park.
The Vice President commended Japan’s leadership of the Asian Conference on the Promotion of Cooperation for the Development of the Palestinian Economy (CEAPAD), and thanked Japan for its commitment to supporting the implementation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan, reflecting its practical commitment to efforts aimed at stability and peace.
Regarding the Gaza Strip, the Vice President reaffirmed the State of Palestine’s welcome of President Trump’s plan, stressing the importance of its full implementation, leading to the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Strip and the launch of reconstruction.
He emphasized the central role of the Palestinian National Authority in administering the Gaza Strip, unifying the Palestinian land, and maintaining the political, legal, and administrative linkage between Gaza and the West Bank.
As for the situation in the West Bank, al-Sheikh stressed the need for an immediate halt to colonial settlement activity, an end to colonists’ terrorism, and the release of withheld Palestinian funds, warning of the grave impact of these policies on undermining the Palestinian Authority, the two-state solution, and prospects for peace and stability.
He affirmed that the Palestinian leadership continues to implement a comprehensive reform program, including municipal elections, preparations for a Fatah conference, and readiness to hold general elections once conditions permit.
Al-Sheikh welcomed the Japanese foreign minister’s invitation to visit Japan to continue discussions and further strengthen the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and peoples.
The meeting was attended by Presidential Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the President’s diplomatic adviser Majdi al-Khalidi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Varsen Shahin, Head of the Vice President’s Office Aya al-Mohsen, and Major General Ruslan Sheikh Ibrahim, adviser to the Vice President. On the Japanese side, the meeting was attended by Japan’s Ambassador to Palestine and a number of senior Japanese officials.
T.R.
