Israeli tourist forced to sign "War Crimes" form at Kyoto Hotel, sparking outrage

A hotel in Kyoto, Japan, has come under fire after reportedly requiring an Israeli tourist to sign a declaration affirming he had never committed war crimes before allowing him to check in. According to a report by Ynet, the tourist, who served as a combat medic in the Israeli Navy reserves, was stunned when the Wind Villa Hotel demanded he complete the form after presenting his Israeli passport.

The form, required the guest to declare that he had not engaged in war crimes, including attacking civilians, mistreating prisoners, sexual violence, torture, or any acts violating international humanitarian law, as outlined in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. “Among the sections in this document was that I did not rape, murder people who raised a white flag, or commit a war crime," the tourist said. "This is absurd and ridiculous. I told him that we do not kill women and children, why would we do that?"

Initially, the tourist refused to sign, stating he did not want to "get into politics." However, the hotel employee insisted that every Israeli and Russian guest was required to do so. Ultimately, the tourist agreed, explaining, "I have nothing to hide. This statement is true because I did not commit war crimes, and no IDF soldier commits war crimes. I signed because I didn’t want to get into trouble and because this form is worthless."

Following the incident, the tourist contacted Israel’s Ambassador to Japan, Gilad Cohen, and sent a letter to Kyoto Prefecture Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki, raising concerns over discriminatory practices. Ambassador Cohen strongly condemned the hotel’s action, calling it a "serious and unacceptable" violation of Japan’s Hotel Business Law and the principles of equality shared between the two nations. "This discriminatory act, based solely on nationality, caused the guest significant emotional distress and discomfort," Cohen wrote. "There is and will be no place for discrimination against Israelis, not in Japan and not anywhere else."

Kyoto authorities have since launched an investigation into the hotel’s conduct. The governor informed Cohen that city officials had been dispatched to the Wind Villa Hotel to examine the case for potential violations of hotel business regulations.

In defense, the hotel manager claimed the requirement was implemented for safety reasons following Israel’s October 2023 military operations in Gaza. “We cannot distinguish between our guests. In any case, we believe we have the right to ensure who we are hosting in our hotel," the manager told Ynet. He insisted the policy was his personal decision and that no Japanese law had been broken, noting that an investigation by city officials had already taken place.

This is not the first such incident in Kyoto. In June of the previous year, a similar discriminatory practice was exposed, prompting then-Foreign Minister Kamikawa to publicly condemn such actions and ensure corrective measures.

The controversy comes at a sensitive time, as Israel faces heightened international scrutiny over its military actions in Gaza, including genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice and arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for top Israeli officials.