Israeli Tourists Get Hilariously Roasted in Japan!

Right, so once upon a time, in the heart of Kyoto, where centuries-old temples whispered histories of peace, there was a guesthouse, a hotel, that took a loud and defiant stand against war crimes, and in doing so, caused an entire nation to wail victimhood. That is how the tale of The Wind Villa Hotel might have begun if penned by somebody like Hans Christian Anderson, but this is news and hilarious news at that. The Wind Villa Hotel is much like many others of its kind, an otherwise unassuming accommodation for travellers seeking serenity in Japan's cultural capital, but what has set them apart and had, as you might have guessed, Israel crying foul, is that they introduced a policy whereby Israeli guests must sign a declaration affirming that they have never participated in war crimes.
This declaration came into being in response to the International Criminal Court, the ICC issuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders over the war crimes they stand accused of committing. Israel’s role in the ongoing devastation in Gaza—a genocide as that is—has come under global scrutiny. The Wind Villa Hotel’s policy is a grassroots, bureaucratic jab against war crimes as defined by one of the worlds highest courts, and it’s got powerful people fuming, going all the way to the top of Israeli politics within Japan and beyond
Right, so The Wind Villa Hotel has come up with this declaration that guests coming from nations with leaderships accused of genocide have to sign in order to formally declare to the hotel that they themselves have never been involved in war crimes. So far, despite the growing international attention that this story is gaining, only 4 of its guests have had to sign it, three from Israel, one from Russia, an ICC warrant having been issued of course, for Vladimir Putin as well, so the hotel isn’t even singling out Israel particularly here, it just happens that most of the guests who have sign ed have come from there.
Guests from nations whose leaders face accusations from the ICC are asked to affirm, in writing, that they have not personally participated in war crimes.
The declaration itself reads:
‘I have never been involved in any war crimes that violate international law and humanitarian law; I have never committed war crimes, including but not limited to: attacks on civilians (children, women, etc.), killing or mistreating those who have surrendered or been taken as prisoners of war; torture or inhumane treatment; sexual violence, forced displacement, or looting; any other acts that fall under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
I have never planned, ordered, aided, abetted, or incited war crimes, nor have I participated in such acts. I pledge to continue complying with international law and humanitarian law and never to engage in war crimes in any form,’
So this isn’t a document that is singling out certain nations for discrimination here, which would be a violation of Japanese business protocols, but due to affiliations with militaries and military action currently under ICC scrutiny.
For me this is genius. Consider for a moment the impact of this document. It’s not a government sanction. It’s not a tribunal. It’s a hotel, so you might be thinking what is the effect of this going to be? This is sure, a nice protest, but what does it actually achieve? Well, what it has managed to do is something global diplomacy attempts have often failed to and that is to directly confront individuals with the gravity of their nation’s actions and sure it might have stayed a nice protest just for that, but because of Israel being how it is and its leaders being how they are, it’s grown beyond that.
The story might have faded into a niche sentence amongst a random blog post if it weren’t for Israel’s over-the-top response. After one of the Israeli tourists Israeli tourist—who turned out to be a former combat medic in the IDF—was asked to sign the declaration, he complained a bit about it, but ultimately still signed. However he then took his story to Israeli outlet Ynet and his indignation found ears in high places, and soon the Israeli Ambassador to Japan was hurling condemnations at the hotel. The ambassador demanded that Kyoto authorities take action, triggering an official investigation into whether The Wind Villa Hotel had violated Japan’s hotel business laws.
But as I mentioned a moment ago, of course they hadn’t. The Hotel was not discriminating based on nationality, but on potential involvement in military atrocities. If a German or American guest were affiliated with a military accused of war crimes, they too would be asked to sign for instance and there are other nations on their list of guests who would be asked to sign this declaration too, such nations that have been cited include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Mali, Myanmar, Palestine, Russia, Syria, and Sudan. So despite the ambassador’s protests, the logic at this little hotel is consistent: the hotel does not want to accommodate war criminals and they are within their rights to ask that question.
Amid the sudden media firestorm they found themselves in, The Wind Villa Hotel’s owner took to social media to clarify their stance. In an absolutely scorching statement on Twitter guaranteed to set the bum-hairs of Israel’s professional victims on fire, they said:
‘Our guesthouse’s “Pledge of Non-involvement in War Crimes” applies not on the basis of “nationality,” but rather to individuals who have belonged to a military organization that has been determined by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to have committed war crimes. Therefore, this policy does not constitute “discrimination based on nationality.”
The very definition of “discrimination” is the unequal treatment of individuals based on factors beyond their personal control. To give an example, subjecting someone to unjust violence, confiscating their home and land, denying them legal protection, or detaining them indefinitely without trial simply because they are Palestinian clearly constitutes “discrimination.”
In contrast, joining a military — regardless of whether it is through conscription or voluntary enlistment — falls within the scope of personal choice and responsibility. Responding differently to individuals based on such choices is not discrimination. This is especially true when the commander-in-chief of that military has been internationally indicted for war crimes. In such cases, differing treatment is even more justifiable.
If Israeli nationals are more likely to be asked to sign the pledge, it is a consequence of the policies and actions of the Israeli government. If this results in disadvantages for Israeli citizens, the responsibility lies with their government. This is the natural and logical conclusion.
Should an individual involved in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks attempt to stay at our guesthouse, we would likewise ask them to sign the same pledge. The fact that Hamas committed war crimes and whether an individual Israeli soldier is a war criminal are entirely separate issues. Using the former to justify the latter is nothing more than a typical fallacy called “ignoratio elenchi.”
It was the ICC that determined the Israeli military committed war crimes. If there is disagreement with this, then it is the duty of Prime Minister Netanyahu and Former Defense Minister Gallant — who have been issued arrest warrants — to appear before the ICC and assert their innocence in court. This is the appropriate course of action for those who claim to uphold international law.
While we do not represent Japan or Kyoto, this is our personal and principled stance that, at the very least, we do not believe that those who disregard international law and humanitarian values are entitled to receive “hospitality and respect.” We sincerely hope that the day will come when we can wholeheartedly welcome Israeli guests. For that, we respectfully urge the Israeli government to immediately cease its disregard for international law and to adopt policies grounded in humanitarian principles.’
That’s a big old Japanese slap to an awful lot of gibbering Israeli whining I fancy! Ignoratio elenchi, incidentally translates to ignoring refutation, or missing the point, presenting an argument that draws a conclusion from something completely irrelevant, for examples just listen to pretty much every single answer to any media question put to Israel’s go to mouthpiece David Mencer.
They also cited the ICC warrants as justification, reinforcing that their policy is grounded in international law—not political vendettas and the owner has no intention of backing down on this. Despite pressure brought about as a result no doubt of the public squealing of some Israeli figures, such as from Booking.com, which has since blocked the hotel from its platform, The Wind Villa Hotel continues its policy. Booking.com’s move seems like an attempt to sideline the story, especially in light of much Israeli whining, but it’s had the opposite effect. The Streisand effect is in full play: by trying to suppress the hotel’s actions, critics have only given them a larger stage.
Some have argued that asking average travellers to declare themselves innocent of war crimes is unreasonable. But this critique misses the point. Israeli guests may not feel they have done anything wrong. However, feelings don’t define legality or morality—international norms and humanitarian law do. Participation in or tacit support of military actions that target civilians, destroy homes, and decimate infrastructure—as has occurred in Gaza—are considered crimes by the ICC.
This dissonance—between personal belief and international law—is what makes The Wind Villa Hotel’s approach so provocative and effective and which has won it the attention it has got. It forces a moment of self-reflection. Are you willing to say, in writing, that you’ve never aided in or supported crimes against humanity? If the answer is no, then perhaps the issue is not with the hotel, but with your own conscience. And forcing Israeli’s to face that appears to be shocking some of them.
The Wind Villa Hotel’s declaration represents a novel form of indirect protest. It doesn’t require the blocking of roads or the burning of flags. It doesn’t chant, it doesn’t wave placards. It uses bureaucratic procedure—a sign-in form—as its method of resistance. In doing so, it forces confrontation with uncomfortable truths. This is a model that could easily be replicated by businesses worldwide and would win them massive plaudits I’m sure.
In a globalised economy, as we live in in this day and age, people who work for or serve governments accused of crimes can no longer assume they’ll travel or interact unnoticed. Soldiers being pursued by arrest warrants when on holiday as a result of the Hind Rajab Foundation is a higher profile example, and here’s another, much more low key, much more achievable, for ordinary working class people to instigate or take part in. Why shouldn’t complicity carry with it social consequences?
Moreover, The Wind Villa Hotel’s declaration and its stance, do speak to a wider groundswell for protest against Israel in Japan.
In Tokyo, pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupted a conference attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar this week, who was visiting Japan to strengthen bilateral ties.
Saar’s itinerary was kept secret until the last moment due to fears of protests. Demonstrators outside his appearances chanted “genocide” and waved Palestinian flags, forcing Japanese officials to scramble. Prior to his visit, a separate protest had erupted outside Japan’s Ministry of Defence after news emerged that the government was considering purchasing Israeli drones. Protesters decried the idea of funding a military currently implicated in war crimes.
Despite Japan’s strategic ambiguity—maintaining good relations with both Israel and Palestine—the protests are pushing the government toward greater transparency and accountability. Japanese citizens, particularly younger generations, as we’re seeing across the globe, are voicing clear opposition to what they perceive as complicity in a genocide.
What The Wind Villa Hotel has catalysed is a much-needed global conversation: Where does individual responsibility begin in the context of state-sponsored violence? When a soldier returns from the battlefield, do they remain a representative of the state’s actions? If so, for how long? Should civilians who once wore uniforms be shielded from scrutiny abroad?
The case of the former IDF medic who was asked to sign the declaration exemplifies this tension. He may view himself as a healer, not a combatant. But in the context of the Gaza conflict—where hospitals have been bombed and medics targeted—his affiliation carries rather poignant implications.
This quirky protest via paperwork might just be just the start of something others can pick up and replicate. The Wind Villa Hotel story shows that ordinary businesses can wield unexpected moral power. What if more hotels or restaurants or airlines adopted similar policies? What if being part of a military accused of genocide meant facing not just legal consequences, but social ones? That’s a powerful deterrent isn’t it?
The Wind Villa Hotel’s stance forces the world to reckon with moral gray zones that too often go unexamined. It reminds us that war crimes are not abstract—they’re acts committed by real people, who then go on holiday and check into hotels and expect privacy and anonymity. Perhaps it’s time that expectation ended.
The controversy surrounding The Wind Villa Hotel in Kyoto therefore turns out to be about far more than a guesthouse policy. It is about conscience, complicity, and courage as well. In refusing to host those potentially involved in war crimes, this guesthouse has taken a stand many governments haven’t had the balls to do. It has elevated the conversation around Gaza from diplomatic backrooms to the check-in desk.
It might be comical somewhat in its simplicity—a hotelier asking tourists to swear they’re not genocidaires—but its impact is profound. As the world watches Gaza burn and governments equivocate, it may be up to individuals and institutions like The Wind Villa Hotel, like all of us too, not necessarily just in hospitality or travel to say what needs saying: We do not welcome war criminals.
What this has also shown is that protest can take many forms, including the humble act of drawing a line on a piece of paper. Let’s see our government’s try and criminalise that.
Meanwhile, in another example of exactly that which the Wind Villa Hotel has taken a stand against, Israel has just struck two hospitals in Gaza, because they’ve found another Hamas tunnel under one – at least that was the claim until it was revealed to actually be under a school, but hospitals are more vital in Gaza right now, so they have to be made a target somehow, but with Israeli lies coming apart again, its another bad day for those trying to excuse this genocide. Check out all the details of that story in this video recommendation here as your suggested next watch.
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