Tokyo on Monday called Sunday's historic referendum in Catalonia an internal issue, leaving Japanese citizens and Spanish communities in Japan dependent on the Spanish government's decision moving forward after Catalans voted to split from Spain.
Calling the issue an internal dispute between Catalans and the rest of Spain, a Foreign Ministry official told The Japan Times by phone that the government was not taking sides. He said, however, that visitors and residents of Catalonia should stay vigilant as the situation has yet to be resolved.
Catalonia leader Carles Puigdemont said the region had won the right to break away from Spain after 90 percent of voters taking part in a banned referendum voted for independence, defying a sometimes violent police crackdown and fierce opposition from Madrid.