Kyoto guesthouse sparks debate with war crimes pledge requirement
People stroll along the stone-paved pedestrian Sannen-zaka in Kyoto on October 11, 2022 [Fred Mery/AFP]
A guesthouse in Japan's Kyoto has garnered online attention after asking guests, including an Israeli tourist, to sign a pledge stating they have not committed war crimes.
The move prompted protests from Israel’s ambassador to Japan and led Booking.com to suspend the property’s listing.
The guesthouse, WIND VILLA, introduced the policy six months ago in response to global conflicts, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israeli military assualt in Gaza, according to owner Ace Kishi.
Given the number of troops deployed in Gaza, the number of casualties there, and the number of Israeli travelers abroad, it is statistically undeniable that those who have committed war crimes are walking freely in major cities and tourist destinations in the world.
“I just wanted to express our opposition to war crimes and take some measures for our and guests’ safety,” Kishi told Al Jazeera.
Israeli Ambassador Gilad Cohen described the policy as a “blatant act of discrimination” and called on Kyoto officials to intervene.
Deeply concerned by the discriminatory incident that took place in April at Wind Villa guesthouse in Kyoto, where an Israeli tourist was asked to sign a declaration stating he had not committed war crimes.
This is a blatant act of discrimination against Israeli citizens and an…The Israeli tourist involved, a combat medic in the navy reserves, told Ynet News he signed the pledge reluctantly, stating, “This form means nothing.”
Kyoto city authorities have visited the guesthouse multiple times since the incident in April but concluded that the pledge does not violate Japan’s Hotel Act. A city official told local media the requirement was “inappropriate” but not illegal.
Kishi has since amended the form to clarify that signing it does not affect a guest’s eligibility to stay. He also said the form applies to individuals from various conflict zones, not just Israeli nationals.
Booking.com suspended WIND VILLA’s account pending further review. Expedia.com, where the guest booked his stay, has not taken similar action.
On April 28, our guesthouse was suddenly suspended by https://t.co/ALza8eLJ8e without any prior inquiry, just three days after receiving a letter from the Israeli Ambassador.
However, the Israeli guest in question had used a different booking site, not https://t.co/ALza8eLJ8e. pic.twitter.com/t9Z2OJ3ghF
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