Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, a Japanese government spokesperson said, adding that Tokyo consistently supports dialogue between Washington and Tehran as an important step toward resolving existing issues, Associated Press reports.

“Iran must halt its development of nuclear weapons and other actions that destabilize the region,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said, without explicitly endorsing the U.S. strikes on Iran.

Kihara noted that maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East and upholding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are of great importance to Japan, and that Tokyo will continue diplomatic efforts in cooperation with the international community to de-escalate the situation.

Separately, Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi said Japan is preparing to dispatch military personnel to evacuate approximately 200 Japanese nationals remaining in Iran, without providing further details.