Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed concern Tuesday about the recent surge of violence in the Middle East and called on both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to exercise restraint and return to the negotiating table.
"I am very concerned about the current situation," Koizumi said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda expressed the hope that all sides step back from the brink of war.
"We are very concerned that the local situation has deteriorated so much in the past two or three days," Fukuda said.
"Japan hopes that all involved will exercise maximum restraint and make efforts to put an end to violence."
His opinion was echoed by Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka at a House of Councilors committee meeting in the morning.
"It is important that restraint is exercised so that peace negotiations can take place," Tanaka said. "I hope the two sides will move toward each other to the point where peace talks can be held."
Israeli helicopter gunships fired missiles on facilities near Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters Monday in retaliation for weekend suicide bombings by Islamic militants.