Japan adds PKK to Public Security Intelligence Agency's list of major terror groups

By Tugba Altun

ANKARA (AA) — The PKK is listed in Japan's Public Security Intelligence Agency's (PSIA) list of terrorist organizations, the country's embassy in Türkiye underlined on Wednesday.

The Japanese Embassy in Ankara said in a statement that Tokyo has already recognized that the PKK is a terrorist organization and 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 organizations 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 Organizations, which included both local and international terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, ISIS/Daesh, the Japanese Red Army, and Aum Shinrikyo, but not the PKK.

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 organization 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, a PSIA official said the Türkiye section of the agency's updated Terrorism Regional Situation catalog provided past and current information on terrorist organizations like ISIS/Daesh, the PKK, and Al-Qaeda.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul