The Polisario as seen by Japan

Since 2013, Japan has quietly yet resolutely classified the Polisario Front as a terrorist group in its International Terrorism Index. This decision, made by the Japanese Public Security Intelligence Agency (PSIA), often goes unnoticed by the broader public. Yet, it reflects a deep-seated and firm belief that has shaped the country’s approach to the group and its connection to broader geopolitical and security issues.

While many are unaware of Japan’s position, it is one of the first countries in the world to explicitly designate the Polisario as a terrorist threat, ahead of even the United States. This classification came just after the deadly terrorist attack on the In Amenas gas plant in Algeria in January 2013, which claimed the lives of several Japanese nationals. The attack underscored the Algerian government's intelligence and military failures, forcing Japan to reassess regional security.

The PSIA has kept the Polisario on its watchlist ever since, with an emphasis on a growing threat that connects the group with various terror organizations in the Sahel region. The decision was made based on detailed intelligence, including potential links between the Polisario and those responsible for the In Amenas attack. Japan’s stance is not a reaction to a single event but rather part of an ongoing concern that dates back to 2011, when Japan first issued a warning about the group's activities in the region.

In 2015, historian Matsumoto Shōji, in collaboration with Moroccan expert El Mostafa Rezrazi, published the first Japanese study on the Polisario. The book, titled Behind the Refugee Camps: The Western Sahara Conflict and Tindouf, explores the darker aspects of the Polisario's operations, focusing on issues like the diversion of humanitarian aid and the group's links to regional terrorist networks. Matsumoto unequivocally calls the Polisario a terrorist organization, citing both human rights violations and the strategic manipulation of refugees as political pawns.

Japan's commitment to understanding and addressing the threat posed by the Polisario has continued through various levels of its government. In 2017, Matsumoto's work was referenced in the Japanese Diet’s Foreign Affairs Committee, where he called for enhanced cooperation between Japan and Morocco to counterterrorism in the Sahel. Matsumoto’s conclusion, that Algeria’s instrumentalization of the Polisario threatens not only the region but also the security architecture of the Indo-Pacific, reflects Japan’s broader strategic concerns.

The Japanese Media’s Unflinching View

Japanese media, including PanOrient News, have consistently framed the Polisario in negative terms. In 2025, the news outlet highlighted the involvement of Polisario fighters in Syria alongside the Assad regime, further corroborating Japan’s classification of the group as a terrorist entity. The media outlet referred to the Polisario as a "cancerous tumor" that disrupts development and fuels instability in North Africa, echoing sentiments from the late King Hassan II of Morocco. This reference, which links the Polisario to the broader terrorist networks in the Sahel, was confirmed by the revelations of fighters operating in Syria.

Japan's Foreign Ministry continues to issue travel advisories that caution citizens against engaging with areas controlled by the Polisario, a position that has been supported by think tanks like the Nippon Foundation. Major Japanese newspapers such as Yomiuri Shimbun and Nikkei consistently back Morocco’s stance, and the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) has pointed to the Polisario’s connections with AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) in a 2018 report.

A 2022 internal report from Japan’s National Police Agency, cited by Japan-Defence Review, listed the Tindouf-Sahel axis as one of the top three African corridors at risk of becoming a jihadist base. The study highlighted the convergence of interests between AQIM, ISIS cells, and the Polisario. As a result, private sectors have also raised their concerns. In 2023, Japanese insurance giant Tokio Marine began applying a risk surcharge for any humanitarian mission within a 300 km radius of Tindouf, citing the heightened risk of kidnapping.

A Strategic, Unwavering Position

Japan’s stance on the Polisario is the result of careful analysis and strategic decision-making by its deep state, an entity independent of changing political administrations. This position represents a clear red line in Tokyo’s diplomatic dealings, especially in relation to Algeria. While Japan refuses to recognize the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (RASD) or engage with the Polisario diplomatically, it has consistently supported Morocco’s proposal for autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

In 2005, Moroccan King Mohammed VI’s state visit to Japan coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Green March, further solidifying Japan’s alignment with Morocco on the issue. This position was evident even earlier when a short-lived "Japan-Sahara Association," backed by Algeria, failed to sway Japanese public opinion or secure significant diplomatic support.

In 2024, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that it does not recognize the RASD, stressing that this stance is "unchangeable and irreversible." Think tanks such as the Sasakawa Peace Foundation emphasize the benefits of Morocco's autonomy for regional stability, maritime security, and investment in the Sahel.