Japanese strategic expert praises India's Operation Sindoor, calls out Pakistan for supporting terrorism

India Gazette

22-05-2025

Tokyo [Japan], May 22 (ANI): Japanese strategic expert Satoru Nagao, a Fellow (Non-resident) at the Hudson Institute, has praised India's Operation Sindoor, calling it a 'responsible and proper' response against state-sponsored terrorism. He called out Pakistan for supporting terrorism and called it a 'suicide' as no one can control terrorists.
The expert whose primary research area is the US-Japan-India security cooperation in an interview with ANI, termed the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam as 'terrible'. As many as 26 people were killed and several others were injured in that terrorist attack
The Japanese expert emphasised that India has suffered from terrorism and Pakistan supports this terrorism. He also noted that support Islamabad's support for terrorism has a long history.
On the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, he said, 'That was terrible, of course, because even the Japanese got a chance to see what happened. In one picture, we see a picture in which (a woman is) just side of her husband...ofcourse we were moved emotionally. But at the same time, we want to know more because India's voice is always good.'
'But at the same time, Japanese should know more about this because for a long time, India suffered this terrorism and this is terrorism supported by Pakistan, that is ... crime...So we need to tell Pakistan, they must crackdown on such kind of terrorists, not support terrorists. That is a very important message. And in this case, one by one, step by step, the Japanese has understand why India needs to deal with this terrorism and what is the Pakistan supported terrorism. So, that's why this is a very important issue.'
'But at the same time, we need Indian voice more. I personally, of course, support India strongly, of course. ...Pakistan support of terrorism has a long history. They do not think this is a wrong thing, that is a problem. We need to tell this is a wrong thing and indeed, this is suicide for Pakistan, too, because terrorists, is indeed, no one can control. So that's why this terrorist is very risky, not only against, of course, India, but in other countries, ...at the same time, Pakistan itself will suffer because they support them. This is tragic situation. They should regret it, I believe,' the expert said
Satoru Nagao, praised India for targeting terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir on May 7 and called it a 'good example of punishment.' He stated that Pakistan should know that supporting terrorists is a risky strategy.
When asked about his views on India targeting terror sites in Pakistan and PoJK under Operation Sindoor, he responded, 'That is responsible attack, I believe, because only terrorist camps they attack. This is very responsible because India's operation is careful manner military operation. Firstly, they attack terrorist-related facility in Pakistan carefully because this is punishment of the Pakistan support terrorists and terrorist activity. Many terrorists have died, but these terrorists were perpetrators of many terrorist in the past.'
'So, that's why this is a good example of the punishment, proper response, I think. And at the same time, Pakistan should know this is risky strategy, supporting terrorism is risky strategy because for long time the world just waits at their response towards terrorists. But now one by one India punishes each terrorist and each terrorist activity that's why the other sending the message this operation Sindoor is a very good responsible, proper response against state sponsored terrorism,' he added.
In response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and PoJK, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
When asked whether international community has failed to hold Pakistan responsible for state-sponsored terrorism, the Japanese expert responded, 'That's a little bit tragic but yes people in the world start to understand Pakistan is supporting terrorists, this is a problem. But at the same time, still many people believe this is a regional issue not a world affair. So, that's why the people should know this properly and reply to the terrorists is very important.
'Recently there are too many wars in the world and there's big news...So that's why the US without the effort of the experts or of course Indians of course, but we should take charge to tell the people to understand the situation. That is also the responsibility for us. We need to know India's right and supporting terrorism is tragic crime. And at the same time, cracking terrorists is indeed not a regional problem, this is a world problem,' Satoru Nagao said.
Nagao who was awarded his PhD by Gakushuin University in 2011 for his thesis, 'India's Military Strategy' has praised India for sending a delegation to Japan to explain India's viewpoint, as people of Japan cannot get enough chances to read about it in the Indian media. He called India a 'strong country' to deal with terrorists.
On a Indian Parliamentary delegation's visit to Japan, he said, 'Yeah, I think so. Because without visiting Japan, there is no chance to exchange opinion about it. So this is very clever way, I think, sending the delegation to the other country and explaining India's view, which is right view, of course, and proper view. Because Indian media for Indians. So that's why Japanese cannot get enough chance to read it.'
'Only some experts like me can access these media. But if the delegation come and explain in front of the many media experts at the same time, in this case, this is a very precious chance for them to get access to Indian viewpoint. That is very important because India is right in this case because India is a victim, but India is a strong country to deal with terrorists because of India's strong and India's right. These kind of facts people should know., even in Japan, people should know. So that is the reason this delegation contributed a lot, I believe,' Nagao said.
Meanwhile, Hirose Hiromi, Political Science Professor, Kindai University, said, 'The terrorist attack is very bad, killing innocent civilians, visiting the tourist sites, nothing to do with international conflict or nothing to do with religious conflict, this kind of attack should be condemned very severely. We Japanese do not know much about the background of the conflict. I think we should know much more about the deep cause of this conflict.'
The All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, led by Sanjay Kumar Jha, includes Ambassador Mohan Kumar, BJP MP Hemang Joshi, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, BJP MP Brij Lal, and BJP MP Pradan Baruah, arrived in Tokyo today.
The delegation aims to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore. (ANI)