Aya Hasegawa

Aya Hasegawa completed her MA Middle East and Politics at the University of Exeter. Her research focuses on the intersections of settler colonialism, gender and sexuality, and transnational solidarity, with a particular emphasis on Japan-Palestine relations. Her MA dissertation examines Japan’s engagement with Israel in the context of the 2020 Abraham Accords, analysing the discursive strategies through which Japan strengthened diplomatic and economic ties while maintaining a narrative of neutrality. It also explores how these official narratives have been challenged by grassroots activism in solidarity with Palestine. Her broader interests lie in how Japanese civil society constructs solidarities with Palestine through cultural practices, translation work, and intersectional reflections, and how queer activism intersects with these efforts.