Afghanistan Times
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A senior Taliban delegation arrived in Japan on February 16 for the first time since the group regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021. The delegation, consisting of officials overseeing diplomacy, healthcare, education, and cultural affairs, is expected to stay for about a week.
The visit comes at the invitation of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and former UN envoy to Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto. Taliban officials are likely to request increased humanitarian assistance and may engage in discussions with Japanese government representatives. However, the visit is expected to spark controversy due to the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s rights, which have drawn widespread international condemnation.
Japan, which maintains diplomatic functions in Afghanistan, has continued to support medical and humanitarian efforts through the United Nations. While the Taliban has participated in international conferences in Russia, China, and Qatar, their engagement with Western nations remains limited, with a notable meeting in Norway in early 2022.
