Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Cambodia's ruling and opposition parties to resume talks to resolve political dispute over the results of the country 's July 28 election.

"Japan has been actively supporting Cambodia's nation-building efforts to date," said the Ministry's statement released to Cambodian media on Thursday.

"It is Japan's hope to see dialogue and cooperation between the parties concerned move forward, so that the new government and the new National Assembly can function smoothly and various measures can be steadily implemented toward Cambodia's economic and social development," it said.

Earlier this week, the United States and the European Union also called on the two parties to continue their dialogue toward electoral reforms and settlement of national problems.

The Cambodian parliament, formed by the ruling party's 68 lawmakers, on Tuesday voted for the formation of a new government under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen even though the opposition's 55 legislators boycotted the session since it refused to accept the election results.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy announced Wednesday that his party did not recognize the Hun Sen-led government, claiming that the newly-formed government was a violation of the constitution.

He warned to call a nationwide general strike for factory workers, civil servants and shopkeepers if the ruling party did not agree to form an independent poll probe committee to look into alleged electoral fraud.

Also, he called on the international community to condemn the government and urged big foreign companies not to sign any agreements with Cambodia.

However, Hun Sen defended that his government was "legitimate".

"This government is a legitimate government, which was born from the election and was endorsed by the king," the prime minister said during the first cabinet meeting on Wednesday.