By NEN SATOMI/ Staff Writer
February 20, 2025 at 13:54 JST
Senior Taliban officials at a meeting in Kabul in 2022 (Takashi Ishihara)
A senior Foreign Ministry official called on visiting Taliban representatives to respect human rights and promote democratic political process, a ministry spokesperson said.
Toshihide Ando, director-general of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, met with senior officials of Afghanistan’s interim government in Tokyo on Feb. 18, according to Toshihiro Kitamura, the ministry’s press secretary.
Ando, who serves as the ministry’s special representative for Afghanistan, asked the officials to address “urgent priorities,” such as respect of human rights and promotion of an “inclusive” political process, Kitamura told a news conference on Feb. 19.
Afghan women and children have been forced to live in a harsh environment since the Islamic group gained control of the country in August 2021 following the U.S. military’s withdrawal.
The Taliban strictly inhibits employment of women and bans education of girls junior high school age and older.
Taliban officials arrived in Japan on Feb. 16 at the invitation of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
The private-sector think tank said it expects them to “foster a broad vision for future nation building and recognize the need to accept extensive humanitarian assistance from the international community for vulnerable populations.”
The Taliban formed Afghanistan’s interim government in September 2021.
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, Japan has kept its embassy open in Kabul and maintained “minimum levels of communications” with the Islamic group, a Foreign Ministry official said.
Taliban officials are staying in Japan for about a week during their first visit to the country since August 2021.
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