Japan condemns chemical weapons use in Syria

The UN has confirmed that sarin gas had been used in an attack near Damascus

Japan Tuesday condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria after a UN report confirmed that sarin gas has been used in an attack in August near the capital Damascus.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said at a press conference here that Japan strongly condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Xinhua reported.

He said Japan would closely watch developments at the UN and responses by the Syrian government on the US-Russian agreement on Syria's chemical weapons.

On Sep 14, US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov announced that they agreed on a framework toward complete destruction of chemical weapons in Syria.

The accord asks the Syrian government to submit within one week a listing of its chemical weapons stockpiles and to allow access to international inspectors.

Kishida also called for a stop to violence in the country and starting a political dialogue between relevant sides in Syria.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday submitted to the UN Security Council a 38-page report, which concluded that several surface-to-surface rockets with sarin gas were used in the August attack.

However, the report did not assign the blame for the use of chemical weapons.

The US and its allies had blamed the Syrian government for the attack, but the latter said opposition forces carried it out.