Tokyo: Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya expressed deep concern on Wednesday over the escalation of military confrontation between Pakistan and India, urging both sides to exercise restraint. "Japan is deeply concerned that the recent series of events could lead to further reprisals and escalate into a full-scale military conflict. We strongly urge both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and stabilize the situation through dialogue for the peace and stability in South Asia," Iwaya said in a statement.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the minister's remarks followed India's announcement earlier in the day that it had attacked "terrorist facilities" in response to a "terrorist attack" in Kashmir on April 22. "Regarding the 22 April terror attack, we once again strongly condemn such terrorist acts. Japan will continue to monitor the situation closely while taking all possible measures to protect Japanese nationals abroad," Iwaya added.