Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda urged Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday not to resort to military action against Iran over its nuclear ambitions, according to Japanese Foreign Ministry officials.

Noda told Barak that such military action would be ''extremely dangerous'' and ''escalate'' the situation in the Middle East region, and called on Israel to resolve the matter in a diplomatic and peaceful manner, the officials said.

Open gallery view Defense Minister Ehud Barak, left, is welcomed by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda before a meeting at the latter's official residence in Tokyo, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. Credit: Reuters

The 35-minute meeting between Noda and Barak took place amid growing concerns that Israel could carry out a military strike against Iran over its suspected nuclear weapons program.

Barak told Noda that the international community should work together to impose sanctions on Iran. Noda said that Japan would act to reduce its imports of Iranian oil. Japan imports 10 percent of its oil from Iran.

Noda called the recent attacks on Israeli diplomatic targets in New Delhi and Tblisi "unacceptable" but added that Israel should exercise restraint in the current situation.

Barak said that the attacks were carried out under the supervision of Iran and that they demonstrated the "danger of Iran and its responsibility for undermining world order".

Barak arrived in Japan after visiting Singapore.

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