A leading religious freedom advocate has strongly criticized comments made on Japanese television suggesting that former presidential advisor Jared Kushner was unsuitable for diplomatic talks with Iran due to his Jewish heritage.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, who serves as Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action for the Simon Wiesenthal Center and previously chaired the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, denounced remarks made by television personality Toru Tamagawa during a Friday morning program on TV Asahi.
During an appearance on the “Hatori Shinichi Morning Show,” Tamagawa raised questions about Kushner’s religious background affecting his diplomatic role. “It just looks like he’s there as a representative of the Trump family, and moreover, he’s Jewish, isn’t he?” Tamagawa stated on air. “Regarding these talks with Iran, I feel like he’s someone who would be better off not being there, and I’ve always wondered what kind of person he is, coming in as the son-in-law.”
The timing of these comments particularly troubled Cooper, as they occurred during Yom HaShoah, the annual Holocaust remembrance period. “This week Jews commemorate Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, when we remember 6 million innocent Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II and those few brave souls, such as Japanese diplomat Chinue Sugihara, who saved thousands of Jewish refugees from certain death,” Cooper stated in his response.
The rabbi characterized the incident as part of a troubling global trend and called for stronger action from Japanese officials. “Antisemitism is raging the world over. Japan is a friend and ally. We expect better from friends and allies. I would welcome the opportunity to appear on TV Asahi and other media outlets to explain to the Japanese public how much such comments damage world Jewry,” Cooper declared.
Cooper also expressed disappointment with how the television program handled the situation during the broadcast. “Tamagawa should have immediately been criticized on the air for inserting persons religion and ethnicity into the discussion over Iran,” he said.
When addressing TV Asahi’s subsequent response to the controversy, Cooper found their explanation inadequate. “TV Asahi’s later statement asserts that there was no intention to discriminate. The impact of that not-so-subtle statement was to open the gates to discriminate against a person because of their identity,” he explained.
Cooper also drew connections between this incident and Japan’s diplomatic relationship with Iran, suggesting economic interests influence the country’s public stance. “We have been told for decades that Japan has a special relationship and respect for Iran because it represents an ancient civilization,” he noted. “As a result, criticism by Japan of Iran has been muted or absent altogether when the ayatollahs and their thugs murdered and maimed their own young citizens and built an empire of terrorism. But the real reason for Japan’s silence is because of Iranian oil.”
