Fact Check: Is Japan Joining the US-Israel Attack on Iran?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Posts circulating on Instagram [archive], Facebook, and TikTok claim that the Japanese Prime Minister gave a speech supporting the United States and Israel against Iran. The video shows a man holding a press conference regarding the conflict involving the three nations.

"The Japanese Prime Minister openly stated that the war between Iran and the US and Israel will not lead to peace. The Japanese Prime Minister emphasized that he is ready to help the US and Israel to defeat Iran," the narration in the content reads.

However, does the video really show the Japanese Prime Minister declaring that Japan will join the attack on Iran?

FACT CHECK

Tempo verified the content through a reverse image search and credible references. The results confirm that the figure in the video is not the Prime Minister, but rather the Japanese Minister of Defense. Furthermore, while the official expressed support for Washington's position, he never stated that Japan would join an attack on Iran during his address.

The figure in the footage is Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, speaking during a press conference on February 28, 2026. He was delivering a statement regarding the Israeli-US strikes on Iran, which was broadcast on the Japanese Ministry of Defense’s YouTube channel. Since October 2025, the Japanese Prime Minister has been Sanae Takaichi, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

In the press conference, Koizumi noted that Prime Minister Takaichi had ordered ministers to gather intelligence and ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in the Middle East. "We are currently diligently gathering information, but to maintain the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, Iran's development of nuclear weapons cannot be tolerated under any circumstances for the international nuclear non-proliferation regime," Koizumi said.

When a reporter asked Koizumi for his stance on the Israeli-US strikes that sparked the war, Koizumi supported the U.S. actions on the grounds of opposing Iran’s nuclear development. However, based on the official transcript provided on the Ministry of Defense website, Tempo found no statement indicating that Japan would join in the attack on Iran.

Japanese PM Takaichi's Statement

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged Iran to pursue diplomatic channels in response to the attacks by Israel and the United States on March 2, 2026. According to a Kyodo News report, this move was specifically aimed at de-escalating regional hostilities.

As reported by Japan Today, Takaichi also expressed general support for the U.S. during a meeting with Donald Trump in Washington on March 19, 2026. However, no detailed information was provided regarding Japan's support for the United States in this context.

According to a subsequent Japan Today report, Takaichi recently clarified her evolving stance on the war, stating that she was considering a high-level meeting with Iranian officials.

"I will judge the appropriate timing for holding talks based on the national interest from a comprehensive standpoint," she told the Budget Committee of the Japanese House of Representatives on March 30, 2026.

CONCLUSION

Tempo’s verification concludes that the video narrative claiming the Japanese Prime Minister will join the attack on Iran alongside the U.S. and Israel is misleading.

First, the person in the video is Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, not Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Second, while Japan has expressed support for the U.S., it has made no official statement regarding joining a military attack on Iran.

TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM

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