Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The Japanese government on Tuesday expressed “serious concern” over Israel’s ground incursion into southern Lebanon, urging maximum restraint to prevent further escalation of the conflict.

Avoiding condemnation of the invasion, Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa called for an immediate ceasefire, stressing that all possible measures must be taken to prevent civilian casualties and asking the relevant parties to seek a diplomatic solution.

Hayashi, the government spokesman, told a news conference that Tokyo was making efforts to ensure the safety of about 50 Japanese nationals in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, the Israeli military said it had begun “limited and localized” ground operations against Hezbollah, its first ground attack in Lebanon since 2006.

On Friday, Japan’s Defense Ministry ordered the Air Self-Defense Force to send C2 transport planes to Jordan and Greece to prepare for a possible evacuation of Japanese nationals in Lebanon after a number of flights from Beirut airport were canceled.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry placed Lebanon at level 4 in its security warnings and called on Japanese citizens not to travel to Lebanon “for any reason” and for all Japanese residents to “immediately leave” the country.

Japanese press reports from Cairo said that Israel killed a Lebanese soldier on the border. In Tokyo, dozens demonstrated in front of the Israeli Embassy in protest against Israel’s policies and “continued crimes” in the region.