ANKARA

Protesters gathered in front of Japan's Aichi Prefecture government office, demanding the cancellation of a business partnership with an Israeli startup, saying the partnership is "an act of supporting genocide" in the Gaza Strip.

"I want to stop Israel's genocide against Gaza. Now that Aichi Prefecture is continuing to collaborate with Israeli companies in its projects, we must direct our protests to the prefectural office," Miyuki Kinjo, a university professor, and an expert on Palestine issues, told protesters, local media reported on Sunday.

Around her, several volunteers were distributing flyers that read, "Aichi Prefecture should stop its business collaboration with Israel," local daily The Mainichi reported.

Aichi Prefecture, which has a thriving manufacturing industry, is focusing on developing new businesses to create new industries, including the opening of Japan's largest startup support center, "Station Ai," in Nagoya this fall.

In 2022, the prefecture signed an agreement with the Innovation Authority of Israel to work together with companies in the prefecture and Israeli startups to develop new businesses and solve problems.

Last year, six Aichi Prefecture companies, including food and parts manufacturers, inked agreements with seven Israeli companies through a matching program based on memorandums of understanding.