Itochu to end cooperative relationship with Israeli military company
Itochu Corporation, a major trading company, announced on the 5th that it will end its cooperative relationship with Israeli military company Elbit Systems by the end of this month. Regarding cooperation between the two, citizens opposed to Israel's attack on Gaza held a protest in front of Itochu's headquarters.
According to Jiji Press, Itochu Corporation Vice President Tsuyoshi Hachimura said in an online press conference held on the 5th that the MOU (memorandum of cooperation) between Itochu subsidiary Itochu Aviation and Elbit will be terminated by the end of this month. . The reason for the cancellation is that last month, the ICJ/International Court of Justice issued an interim measures order against Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza, and Foreign Minister Kamikawa requested that Israel implement the interim measures order. I mentioned things like that. This memorandum was signed at the defense equipment trade fair "DSEI Japan 2023" held in Chiba's Makuhari Messe in March last year.The memorandum was signed at the defense equipment trade fair "DSEI Japan 2023" held in Chiba's Makuhari Messe in March last year.・The content was to carry out maintenance. However, when Israel began its attack on Gaza in October, there were growing calls for Itochu to withdraw the memorandum, accusing it of being complicit in the genocide of Palestinians . Citizens held daily protests in front of the ITOCHU headquarters in Minato Ward, Tokyo, and more than 20,000 signatures calling for the memorandum to be withdrawn have been collected. Although some supporters of Israel and others had ridiculed these protests on social media, this was an example of a citizen's movement clearly influencing a company's decision.
