The U.S. government has urged South Korea and Japan to exercise self-restraint with regard to diplomatic tensions over the Dokdo islets and wartime atrocities.

A senior U.S. State Department official said Thursday that tensions between Seoul and Tokyo have sparked U.S. concerns. The official made the remark while giving a briefing on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s upcoming six-nation trip to the South Pacific and Russia's Far East.

The official called on Seoul and Tokyo to employ self-restraint, patience and statesmanship in handling their differences.

The official’s remark comes after State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the United States wants to see South Korea and Japan peacefully resolve through dialogue their diplomatic conflict concerning Dokdo. She added that it’s "obviously not comfortable” for Washington to see Seoul and Tokyo engage in a dispute.