TOKYO: Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said the government in Tokyo is paying very close attention to the violent acts in Tel Aviv and the Palestinian West Bank and believe the use of force or violence can’t solve the issues between the Israelis and Palestinians. At a press conference on April 12, Hayashi called on both parties to engage in negotiations and to exert efforts to help restore mutual trust. The Japanese foreign minister was replying to a question about calls by some Palestinians on whether the Israeli continued occupation of Palestinian land is “essentially responsible for the latest violence and warrants international sanctions against Israel.” “Only through talks can a resolution be achieved based on a two-state solution. I hope the Palestinians and Israelis continue efforts for that.” The Japanese foreign minister quoted media reports’ accounts of the violent acts. “On the 7th of this month (April), in the central part of Tel Aviv, there was a shooting incident (by a Palestinian) causing multiple casualties (among Israelis.) Further, on April 10 local time, in the West Bank of Jordan River, two Palestinian women who stabbed Israeli soldiers were shot to death by the Israeli national army,” Hayashi said while carefully avoiding condemning any party. This story was originally published in Japanese on Arab news Japan