TOKYO, Oct 2, 2024 (AFP) - Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Wednesday that missile attacks by Iran on Israel were "unacceptable", warning against an escalation into "full-on war".

"Iran's attack is unacceptable. We condemn this strongly. But at the same time, we would like to cooperate (with the United States) to defuse the situation and prevent it from escalating into a full-on war," Ishiba told reporters.

Ishiba made the comments after a phone call with US President Joe Biden following his appointment as Japanese prime minister on Tuesday.

The two also discussed issues including strengthening the US-Japanese alliance and ties with other countries, as well as the fate of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s.

"Under the leadership of (predecessor Fumio Kishida and Biden) the Japan-US alliance strengthened significantly. I told (Biden) I would like to inherit that policy and strive to make it stronger," Ishiba said.

"I told him we would like to strengthen the network of like-minded countries as well," Ishiba said, mentioning South Korea, Australia, India and the Philippines.

Kishida worked to double defence spending and boost ties with the United States and other countries rattled by China's rise and the behaviour of Russia and North Korea.

Ishiba, who visited Taiwan in August, backs the creation of a regional military alliance along the lines of NATO, with its principle of mutual defence.