Japan says PKK is on its list of major terror groups

The PKK is listed in Japan's Public Security Intelligence Agency's (PSIA) list of terrorist organisations, the country's embassy in Türkiye said.

The Japanese embassy in Ankara said on Wednesday in a statement that Tokyo has already recognised that the PKK is a terrorist organisation and has frozen its assets since 2002

Stressing that the country's stance on the matter has not changed since then, it noted that the list of terrorist organisations on the website of its Public Security Intelligence Agency (PSIA) was updated a few days ago, with the PKK added to it.

The PKK had not been on the previously updated list of the PSIA's Major International Terrorist Organisations, which included both local and international terrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab, ISIS/Daesh, the Japanese Red Army, and Aum Shinrikyo.

The statement added that the Japanese government condemns terrorist acts that the PKK has perpetrated.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

In response to questions by Anadolu Agency, a PSIA official said the Türkiye section of the agency's updated Terrorism Regional Situation catalogue provided past and current information on terrorist organisations like ISIS/Daesh, the PKK, and Al-Qaeda.