By Asha Elmi - Reporter
TOKYO, 10 October 2026 Japan has urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to exercise restraint and pursue diplomatic dialogue amid escalating tensions between the two neighbours, warning that further deterioration could undermine regional stability.
In a statement issued on Friday, 9 October 2026, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said it was closely monitoring developments and called on both countries to respect each other’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. It urged them to settle their differences peacefully, in keeping with the spirit of the 2018 peace agreement.
Japan’s appeal comes as Ethiopia and Eritrea exchange accusations over the prospect of renewed hostilities. Addis Ababa has accused Eritrean forces of launching what it described as an “all-out invasion” of Ethiopian territory, arguing that the country must defend itself. According to Reuters, Ethiopia made the allegation in a letter to the United Nations Security Council.
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Asmara, meanwhile, has accused Ethiopia of pursuing a military agenda to secure access to the Red Sea, including through Eritrea’s port of Assab. Eritrea’s Minister of Information, Yemane Gebre Meskel, has argued that Ethiopia’s statements about self-defence could be used to justify military action against Eritrea.
The tensions come amid deteriorating diplomatic relations, renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region and a longstanding dispute over Ethiopia’s lack of direct access to the sea. Ethiopia became landlocked in 1993, when Eritrea gained independence.
The two countries signed a peace agreement in 2018 after decades of hostility, including a border war fought between 1998 and 2000. By invoking the spirit of that agreement, Japan has called on both sides to prioritise dialogue and avoid further escalation.