Japan ‘Considering Appropriate Response’ to Strait of Hormuz Tensions: PM Sanae Takaichi

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Tokyo: Japan is assessing how it can respond to the growing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, but has no immediate plans to deploy warships, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday.

Takaichi said Tokyo has not received a formal request to help reopen the vital shipping route, which has faced severe disruption since the start of the Iran conflict. However, she added that Japan is examining what actions it can take within its legal framework.

“We are considering how to respond appropriately,” Takaichi told reporters, adding that the government is also reviewing measures to protect vessels and their crews.

The comments come after Donald Trump urged several countries affected by the potential closure of the strait to assist in safeguarding maritime traffic. Trump named China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom as nations that could join a coordinated effort to secure the waterway.

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told parliament that Tokyo is not currently considering launching a maritime security operation in response to the situation.

The Strait of Hormuz has been largely disrupted since the escalation of hostilities involving Iran, raising global concerns over energy supplies because a significant share of the world’s oil shipments passes through the narrow passage.

Takaichi said Japan must carefully evaluate its options because overseas military deployments are tightly restricted under Japanese law. She added that any seaborne policing operation would be “extremely difficult” within the current legal framework.

Japan can deploy forces overseas if its national security is deemed threatened, but direct involvement in a conflict with Iran would be politically sensitive and legally complex.

Takaichi is expected to discuss the crisis during a visit to Washington later this week, where she will meet Trump. She said Japan hopes to engage in “solid discussions” with the United States while pushing for an early de-escalation of tensions in the region.