Since the Taliban seized power again in Kabul in August 2021, Afghans, particularly women and girls, have been subjected to some of the world’s harshest forms of governance.
The Taliban have stripped millions of citizens of their fundamental rights, including freedom of speech, education and even life itself. The regime operates with impunity, with no accountability for its atrocities.
Amid this tragedy, the international community’s engagement with the Taliban has been counterproductive, benefiting neither Afghanistan nor the global fight against terrorism.
Among those working with the country's oppressive rulers is Japan, which has a long-standing relationship with Afghanistan. Recently, Japanese Ambassador to Kabul Takayoshi Kuromiya announced that Tokyo plans to build 165 primary schools in nine Afghan provinces.
While Japan has a history of constructive engagement with Afghanistan, there are concerns that its involvement in development projects under Taliban rule is not only enabling the regime, but undermining democracy, human rights and justice.
For decades, Tokyo has provided development and humanitarian assistance, offering much-needed food, clothing and other essentials to Afghan people, therefore helping to alleviate the effects of poverty and displacement, especially during times of crisis. These efforts have earned Japan the reputation of being a friend of Afghanistan, whose people have long appreciated Japan’s kindness and support.
However, as Taliban power becomes more entrenched, Tokyo’s continued engagement raises ethical issues. Afghans, including those in exile, such as myself, increasingly view certain ongoing development projects as a means of legitimizing the Taliban’s oppressive regime — one known for its connections to terrorist networks and dependence on nations such as China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan.
The Taliban regime is far from being the self-reliant entity it claims to be. It has deep ties with powerful neighbors, including the Chinese Communist Party, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Pakistan’s military intelligence service.
These connections mean that the Taliban are not only a threat to Afghanistan but a danger to the region as a whole, capable of destabilizing the entire area. By engaging with the Taliban, countries like Japan inadvertently strengthen these international networks, further complicating global security and endangering the Afghan people.
In addition, Japan’s recent announcement that it intends to help establish hundreds of schools in Afghanistan is problematic because girls are banned from education past the sixth grade under Taliban rule — the only government in the world to impose such restrictions — meaning that most educational infrastructure is exclusively for boys.
Can Japan, a democracy with a commitment to gender equality and human rights, justify using public money to fund a school system that excludes half the population? Would Japan tolerate a similar regime dictating that its girls and women be barred from education, work and public life?
This is not a hypothetical question. The Taliban’s misogynistic policies are not just temporary but entrenched in its ideology. The group has made it clear that its government is based on extremist ideas. For Japan, engaging with such an entity represents a contradiction of its own values.
Instead, Japan’s involvement should reflect the will of the Afghan people, especially the millions of women who have been silenced. Rather than supporting development projects that deepen Taliban rule, Japan should redirect its efforts toward initiatives that empower people outside the regime’s control.
This can be done, for example, by engaging with the Afghan diaspora, including exiled women and youth leaders who represent the future of a democratic country. Thousands of Afghans have fled to various parts of the world, including Japan, Australia, Europe and North America, where they continue to advocate for the rights of their fellow citizens back home.
Tokyo could take a leadership role in supporting these exiled voices, working alongside them to develop long-term strategies for Afghanistan’s recovery, and avoid facilitating the survival of a terrorist state.
Diplomatic engagement with the Taliban does not lead to moderation or progress but only prolongs the suffering of millions and empowers a regime with ties to some of the world’s most dangerous actors — countries whose authoritarian governments make them natural allies to the Taliban.
Japan, as a beacon of democracy in Asia, should not be part of this axis. Instead, it should stand with democratic forces in Afghanistan and help build a future based on freedom, human rights and justice.
Afghanistan’s women and youth are crying out for international support. By shifting its focus away from initiatives that empower the Taliban and toward those that uplift other Afghan political actors, Japan can continue to be a true friend of Afghanistan.
The two countries share a deep bond, one rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to peace and stability. In the 21st century, this bond can and should be strengthened through cooperation with democratic forces. Together, we can face the challenges posed by authoritarianism and build a future in which both Afghanistan and Japan can thrive.
We Afghans are not asking Japan to fight our battles for us. Instead, we are asking it to be on the right side of history. By doing so, Japan would not only protect its own interests, but uphold the values of democracy, freedom and justice that it holds dear.
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