TOKYO: Japan’s Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko held a telephone meeting with Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s minister of foreign affairs, to discuss the situation surrounding Palestine and Israel, the foreign ministry said.
Minister Kamikawa expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic efforts, and stated that Japan has been communicating with the parties concerned to calm the situation.
In response, Prince Faisal said that he shared the deep concern about the situation on the ground, and explained Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic efforts in the wake of the attack, according to the ministry’s statement.
Kamikawa stressed in the talks, held on Oct. 16, that she was paying close attention to the situation in the Gaza Strip and Palestine. She had unequivocally condemned the recent terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militants, especially the attacks and the kidnappings of innocent civilians, which could not be justified for any reason.
Kamikawa said that she was deeply saddened by the loss of lives of so many innocent civilians, and that it was important for the civilians being held hostage to be released as soon as possible.
The Japanese foreign minister said that she would also like to work closely with Saudi Arabia on improving humanitarian access and providing aid, including food, water and medical care for civilians.
The two ministers confirmed that they would continue to work together to calm the situation and to closely cooperate with each other to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
