Japan said it was joining other countries in suspending funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following Israeli allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack.
The agency fired several officials over Israel's accusations and promised a thorough investigation into the allegations, which were not specified, while Israel threatened to suspend the agency's work in Gaza after the war.
Several of the agency's biggest donors, including the US and Germany, have since suspended funding to UNRWA, which is at the heart of humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
Late on Sunday, Japan said it was "extremely concerned about the alleged involvement of UNRWA staff members in the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 last year".
"In response, Japan has decided to suspend additional funding to UNRWA for the time being while UNRWA conducts an investigation into the matter and considers measures to address the allegations," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"At the same time, Japan will continue to make persistent and active diplomatic efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and to calm the situation as soon as possible by providing support to other international organizations," it added./BGNES