Japan to Work on De-escalating Middle East Tensions: Kihara

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Thursday that the government will engage in various diplomatic efforts to swiftly de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. “Peace and stability in the Middle East are extremely important for Japan,” he told ambassadors from Muslim countries to Japan at an “iftar,” or a dinner to break the daily fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at the prime minister’s office. “It is becoming more important than ever for Japan and Islamic countries to cooperate with each other,” Kihara said. According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the Iranian ambassador to Japan did not attend the iftar. Earlier in the day, the chief cabinet secretary met with ambassadors of Gulf Cooperation Council member states, located near the Persian Gulf. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was scheduled to attend both events but did not do so due to a possible cold. She was seen staggering and leaning against the wall during a meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee held Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. A close aide said that she may be sleep-deprived, as she participated in an online summit meeting of the Group of Seven major democracies late Wednesday night after attending a memorial that day in the northeastern Japan city of Fukushima for the 2011 major earthquake, tsunami and ensuing nuclear accident. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]