TICAD 2025: Diplomatic tensions between Japan and Algeria following incident involving Polisario

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently reprimanded the Algerian ambassador in Tokyo following an incident during the preparations for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), according to our sources.

A representative of the Polisario, posing as a member of the Algerian delegation and holding an Algerian diplomatic passport, managed to gain access to the meeting room in Tokyo where the ministerial discussions for TICAD were taking place.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs firmly reiterated its stance on the Polisario’s status, affirming that Japan does not recognize this terrorist entity based in Tindouf, Algeria.

Just before the start of the meeting, this member of the so-called « Algerian-Polisario delegation » produced a sign reading « Sahrawi Republic » from his briefcase and placed it in front of him. The Algerian delegation, guided by the intelligence services of General Saïd Chengriha, took photos of this scene and disseminated them in Algerian media as part of a Polisario propaganda campaign.

During this preparatory meeting, a member of the Moroccan diplomatic delegation reported the presence of an intruder linked to the Polisario, leading to a physical altercation with Algerian diplomats.

In response to the incident, the Japanese authorities reprimanded the Algerian ambassador in Tokyo, emphasizing that any attempt to introduce unrecognized elements into the official framework of the summit is unacceptable and contrary to Japanese diplomatic principles.

The archives and notes of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirm that this position is consistent and firmly established in Japan’s foreign policy.

The TICAD summit, held every three years, brings together Japan, African partners, and international organizations to discuss development in Africa. As part of the preparations for the ninth edition of the summit, scheduled for 2025, meetings are being held on August 24 and 25 in Tokyo.