Pakistan lodges formal protest with Japan over cross-border terrorism reference
Pakistan has formally protested to Japan over the India–Japan joint statement referring to "cross-border terrorism from Pakistan". Image Credit: @ForeignOfficePk
New Delhi: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, confirmed on Thursday, that Islamabad had lodged a formal protest with Japan. He said Japan’s ambassador had been summoned to Pakistan’s foreign ministry over the wording of a recent joint statement.
“We have expressed our concerns to Japan through diplomatic channels. In fact, a strong démarche has been made,” Andrabi said at a weekly briefing.
The joint statement was issued on July 2, during a visit to India by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. The prime minister, Narendra Modi and Takaichi said they had “unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.”
Andrabi called the language “one-sided” and said it ignored Pakistan’s own counter-terrorism efforts. He also alleged that India routinely pushes partner countries to include similar references in joint statements.
He said Japanese officials had assured Pakistan there was “no shift” in Tokyo’s policy towards Islamabad. The wording marks a shift from Japan’s earlier position. A joint statement issued in August 2025, during Modi’s visit to Tokyo, condemned terrorism in general terms without naming Pakistan.
The change comes as Japan and India deepen defence and strategic cooperation. Since taking office in October 2025, Takaichi has pursued a more assertive foreign policy, including an updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy unveiled in May 2026.
