Japan Says No US Request Yet for Naval Deployment in Strait of Hormuz

(MENAFN) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday that it is “difficult to answer” questions about sending Japanese warships to the Strait of Hormuz, noting that the United States has not formally requested Japan’s participation, according to reports.

“We are currently considering what we can do to protect Japanese-related vessels and the lives of their crews within the scope of Japanese law,” Takaichi told parliament.

Reports say the remarks came after US President Donald Trump suggested that countries, including Japan, deploy their naval forces alongside the US to help secure the strategically important waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of global energy concerns since Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it would close the strait to most vessels, following US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began on Feb. 28.

Before the conflict, roughly 20 million barrels of oil passed through the strait each day. Its partial closure has contributed to rising oil prices, according to reports.

The US-Israeli offensive on Iran has reportedly killed around 1,300 people, including the country’s then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports say Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

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