Japan's government expressed "serious concern" Tuesday over Israel's ground incursion against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, urging maximum restraint to prevent a further escalation of the conflict.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi called for an immediate cease-fire, stressing all possible measures must be taken to prevent civilian casualties and requesting the relevant parties to pursue a diplomatic solution.
Hayashi, the top government spokesman, said at a press conference that Tokyo has been making efforts to ensure the safety of the around 50 Japanese nationals in Lebanon.
Earlier Tuesday, Israel's military announced it had begun "limited, localized" ground operations against Hezbollah, marking its first ground invasion of Lebanon since 2006.
The incursion follows deadly pager and walkie-talkie explosions targeting Hezbollah members, large-scale air strikes by Israel on the group's headquarters in the Lebanese capital Beirut and the killing of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
The latest development represents an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, sparked by a surprise attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on southern Israel almost a year ago.
Amid mounting tensions in the Middle East, Japan's Defense Ministry on Friday ordered the Air Self-Defense Force to send two C2 transport planes to Jordan and Greece to prepare for a possible evacuation of Japanese nationals in Lebanon.
Japan, which is highly dependent on the Middle East for crude oil, has traditionally pursued "balanced diplomacy" between Arab nations and Israel, which is backed by the United States, Tokyo's key security ally.
© KYODO
11 Comments
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kurisupisu
Japan urges “restraint”
As the Israelis restrained themselves in Gaza,
blowing sheltering civilians apart ?
Tim Sullivan
I'm sure "serious concern" is going to stop Netanyahu. He doesn't even care what the US thinks -- he just went ahead with the invasion anyway.
Mr Kipling
Japan just parroting the US as always.
Fixed the typo.
JeffLee
The killing will stop once Hizballah and Hamas are destroyed, to the point that they can no longer fire rockets into Israel or murder, rape and kidnap hundreds of kids at music festivals.
Real
Now urging restraint while not uttering a peep during the decades of Israeli suppression, aggression and violence against Palestine citizens give me a break.
ALmost
I don't see how Netanyahu's killing of Palestinian and Lebanese children will bring peace to his people in the long run. I only see things getting worse for Israel at this pace. I pray I'm wrong.
Dango bong
Iran backed terrorist groups must be extinguished. It is about time..
Dango bong
People forget how this conflict started....
Nibek32
Israel is a terrorist state.
Dango bong
One side has hostages they stole in an invasion. Who are the terrorists?
Sh1mon M4sada
meh no brainer, all sides should excercise restraint. Now why has Japan not urged a terrorist organisation to also excercisecrestraint. Brain damage!