Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba said Thursday he has asked former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to cancel plans to visit Iran this week to avoid a diplomatic conflict as the international community moves to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
"Ultimately, it is his own decision," Genba said to the House of Councilors' budget panel. "But we want to urge him to act prudently so as not to result in dual diplomacy that would be different from the government's policy."
Hatoyama told reporters Wednesday that his four-day trip starting Friday was being made in a "personal capacity" to help achieve resolve the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program.
Hatoyama is making arrangements to meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other political leaders at a time when Japan and many other countries are cranking up pressure on Tehran to halt its pursuit of nuclear power.
Genba and other senior government officials are unhappy with Hatoyama's plan to visit Iran.
Genba, who did not know of the plan until Wednesday, said the government, as well as the Democratic Party of Japan, led by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, have not asked Hatoyama to visit Iran.