Overview
FANUC is a Japanese-owned company which manufacturers robots used by Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems. FANUC robots are crucial in the manufacturing of 155mm shells, the ammunition most commonly used by Israel in its genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and its systematic destruction of Gaza. These weapons are also used by Israel in its aggression and massacres elsewhere.
155mm shells are one of the world’s most indiscriminate lethal weapons, exploding into two thousand pieces of shrapnel upon impact, able to kill or injure people in a 600 meter diameter. Israel has fired hundreds of thousands of these unguided shells into Gaza.
United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese named FANUC as one of the companies aiding Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its regime of apartheid and illegal occupation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Dozens of UN human rights experts also affirm that in order to comply with the International Court of Justice’s 2024 ruling about the illegality of Israel’s occupation, all States, including Japan, must implement a military embargo on Israel, including dual-use items, and ensure corporations in their jurisdiction comply with it.
Why?
Cutting off FANUC’s supply would seriously disrupt Elbit’s weapons production and weaken Israel’s ability to continue its apartheid, genocide, and settler-colonial violence against Indigenous Palestinians.
FANUC has repeatedly ignored information shared by activists in Japan and has lied about its complicity.
FANUC publicly claims it does not sell to Israel components for military use, but FANUC IS LYING.
How do we know? Israel told us. In a video posted by the Israeli government, FANUC robots can be clearly seen being used to produce shells in an Elbit Systems factory.
Every Elbit 155mm shell that kills a Palestinian was made using a FANUC robot, making the company complicit in genocide and ongoing occupation and apartheid in the illegally occupied West Bank.
TAKE ACTION
FANUC is present in at least 35 countries. Together, let’s organize against FANUC in order to disrupt Israel’s military supply chain. Workers, unions and supporters globally must act.
Take action now by organizing protests outside FANUC offices, factories, launch pressure campaigns against FANUC and FANUC’s other clients calling on them to demand FANUC stops manufacturing military materiel for Israel’s genocide and apartheid.
Launch pressure campaigns against FANUC university programs. We also need to pressure the government of Japan to uphold its obligations under international law which includes implementing a comprehensive military embargo against Israel.
Partner with local Palestine solidarity and anti war groups to take collective action.