An Israeli tourist named Alex, who had booked a room at a hotel in Kyoto, received a message from the hotel manager informing him that he could not accommodate him due to reports of war crimes allegedly committed by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza war.
"We are not able to accept reservations from persons we believe might have ties to the Israeli army," wrote Jeronimo Gehres, the manager of the Material Hotel.
Gehres further explained: "Offering lodging to persons who might have assisted or might be assisting in the execution of warfare activities forbidden by international humanitarian law based on the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols could put us at risk of being considered accomplices and/or accessories to a person who could be facing prosecution for war crimes as soon as the conflict is over."
"We hope you understand that we cannot take such a risk and that this is the reason why we are not able to offer you one of our rooms. We would appreciate if you could accept the cancellation request I have sent you yesterday," Gehres wrote.
The incident was reported to the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo, which confirmed the details. Israel's ambassador to Japan, Gilad Cohen, sent a letter of complaint to the CEO of the company that owns the hotel, demanding a thorough investigation, an apology and the dismissal of the manager who canceled the reservation.
The ambassador emphasized that this was a clear case of illegal discrimination. He pointed out that since the hotel did not inquire about the guest's military background at the time of booking, it appeared the reservation was canceled solely based on the guest's Jewish or Israeli name. "Discrimination in any form is unacceptable to us," Cohen wrote.
Additionally, the embassy contacted relevant Japanese authorities, requesting an investigation, and is pursuing legal channels available to them against the hotel.
Ambassador Cohen told Ynet that this is the first time he has encountered such an incident in Japan, a country that respects and values Israeli tourists. "We will remain vigilant and combat any such instances of antisemitism and discrimination, even if they are isolated cases," he said.
No response has been received from the hotel.