Japan Struggling over Response to U.S. Strike on Venezuela

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is facing difficulties over how to respond to the U.S. strike on Venezuela. In a statement released Sunday, Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura said that Tokyo will work to help stabilize the situation in the South American country. But the statement stopped short of commenting on the attack and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. military. Japan is apparently caught between its advocacy of the rule of law to the world and its consideration for the United States, the East Asian nation’s only ally. Kitamura said in the statement that the government is putting top priority on ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals in Venezuela and acting in cooperation with other countries while closely monitoring the situation. Japan has respected fundamental values such as freedom and democracy, and attached importance to the principles of international law in the global community, the statement said, adding that the country will continue diplomatic efforts to help restore democracy and stabilize the situation in Venezuela. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]