Japan has refrained from expressing outright support for the weekend launch of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran as Tokyo continued Sunday to gather information on the unfolding situation in the Middle East following the killing of longtime supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has instructed government ministries and agencies to analyze the potential impact of the attacks on sea and air transportation, as well as on the economy. She also vowed Saturday night to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in the region.

Takaichi has not expressed support for or criticized the coordinated attack on Iran launched Saturday by the United States, Japan's longtime ally, and Israel.

Japan has traditionally maintained friendly ties with Iran and viewed stability in the region as vital.

Ensuring the safe passage of vessels carrying oil and cargo through the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman is also important for resource-scarce Japan.

Higher crude oil prices could reduce Japan's gross domestic product by as much as 0.65 percentage point, said Takahide Kiuchi, an executive economist at Nomura Research Institute.

Based on his assumption that a total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would cause West Texas Intermediate crude futures to jump from the current level of $60 per barrel to around $140, Kiuchi estimated that prices in Japan will rise by 1.14 percent over the next year, possibly plunging the country into recession.

In a phone conversation with other members of the Group of Seven nations, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi reiterated Japan's position that it supports efforts to resolve the issue of Iran's nuclear program "through dialogue," his ministry said.

Motegi reiterated that Japan will maximize its diplomatic efforts with the international community over the Iran situation, saying the country "must never be allowed" to develop nuclear weapons.

The death of 86-year-old Khamenei after over three decades in power was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on social media Saturday and later confirmed by Iran's state media.

The strike followed intensified U.S. coordination with Israel, which had urged swift action amid concerns over Iran's nuclear program, as well as the violent suppression of widespread anti-government unrest in the country.

A senior executive of Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party also stayed clear of criticizing the attacks during an appearance on a Sunday television program of public broadcaster NHK. His comments drew an immediate rebuke from opposition lawmakers appearing on the same program who argued that such strikes violate international law.

"We cannot simply condemn it, considering Iran's attitude toward nuclear development," Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki, the No. 2 of the LDP, said.

Speaking of the impact on Japan, he said the attacks "could have a huge impact on people's daily lives and the economy." Japan relies heavily on the Middle East for crude oil.

Japanese nationals in Iran had already been advised to evacuate, with the Foreign Ministry urging caution among people living in or traveling to countries in the Middle East and beyond due to heightened geopolitical tensions.