Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi [AFP Yonhap News]

Japanese media reported that while refraining from commenting on the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in a large-scale airstrike by the United States and Israel, Japan is showing consideration for the US by emphasizing its opposition to Iran's nuclear development.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun on the 2nd, the Japanese government urged in a statement released the previous day by Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, "Iran's nuclear weapons development is absolutely unacceptable," and "Iran must stop its nuclear weapons development and actions that destabilize the region."

In a phone consultation with G7 foreign ministers the previous day, Foreign Minister Motegi stated his opposition to Iran's nuclear weapons development and said, "We have consistently supported the US's efforts to resolve issues through dialogue."

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also stated in response to related questions at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on the same day, "It is our country's (Japan's) consistent position that Iran's nuclear weapons development must absolutely not be tolerated."

He added, "We will continue to make all necessary diplomatic efforts in cooperation with the international community to ensure the situation is resolved quickly."

The Japanese government did not explicitly state whether it supported the US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, but it clearly expressed its opposition to Iran's nuclear weapons, which US President Donald Trump cited as one of the reasons for the airstrike.

In response, the Yomiuri interpreted this as "showing consideration for the Trump administration's assertions," adding that the Japanese government hopes to maintain solidarity with the US and for the situation to de-escalate ahead of Prime Minister Takaichi's visit to the US in mid-January.

Jiji Press also reported that Japan's mention of its opposition to Iran's nuclear weapons showed "a certain understanding of the US actions from the perspective of maintaining the international non-proliferation regime."

The news outlet added, "Japan has also built a long-standing independent friendly relationship with Iran, and the US is its sole ally," and "The impact of this attack will be significant in economic and security terms."

The Japanese government is also considering evacuating its citizens from the Middle East, including Iran, in preparation for any contingencies. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters the previous day, "We are always prepared to dispatch troops quickly."

Approximately 200 Japanese nationals are reportedly residing in Iran. Around 5,000 Japanese are staying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and over 1,000 Japanese are said to be in Israel.

Meanwhile, unlike the government's cautious stance, Japanese media criticized the attacks by the US and Israel on Iran. Many Japanese media outlets used the term "assassination" instead of "death" for Khamenei.

The progressive Asahi Shimbun, in an editorial published on its front page, described the airstrike as "an act of violence that fails to learn from the lessons of history."

The Asahi stated, "We are gravely concerned that violence will escalate due to the attack on Iran and the assassination of Khamenei," and pointed out, "Acts that unilaterally rely on force and violate sovereignty are a violation of international law."

It added that if the US, which has led the value of "rule of law" since World War II, acts as if "might makes right," it could lead to the collapse of the post-war order and become a trigger for a return to pre-war conditions.

The conservative Yomiuri also noted that "President Trump's disregard for international law has become clear," and pointed out that the attack was carried out without congressional approval.

In a separate editorial, the Yomiuri stated, "The US attacked Venezuela in January and overthrew the anti-American Maduro regime." It continued, "We cannot hide our surprise and concern that a decapitation operation to eliminate leaders of countries that do not comply with US intentions through military action has been carried out in Iran, a major power in the Middle East."

It added, "Iran differs from Venezuela in terms of national scale and political situation," and predicted, "It is not guaranteed that events will unfold as the US expects."

The Nikkei Shimbun also stated in its editorial that "the attacks on Iran by the US and Israel, which lack legal grounds, are a major issue," and emphasized that the most important thing is to prevent the escalation of the conflict.