Last Sunday, on March 22nd, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that if the United States, Israel, and Iran reach a ceasefire agreement, Japan may consider deploying its troops to conduct mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil transportation.
Motegi mentioned on a Fuji TV program, “Assuming a comprehensive ceasefire is reached, tasks like mine-clearing could potentially be put on the agenda.” He added, “This is purely hypothetical, but if a ceasefire agreement is established and sea mines become an obstacle to shipping, then this is something we need to consider.”
After the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, Iran swiftly blocked the Strait of Hormuz as retaliation. This vital shipping artery carries about 20% of the global oil supply.
Due to the continued blockade of the strait, the international benchmark Brent crude oil price had risen to around $112 per barrel as of Sunday morning.
U.S. President Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, late Saturday night, setting a 48-hour ultimatum to open the strait and warning that if Iran continues to block it, the U.S. military will destroy Iran’s largest power plant.
Iran responded, stating that if Iran’s power plants and infrastructure are attacked, critical infrastructure in the entire Middle East region will also be damaged. Iran had previously threatened that if the war persists, oil prices could climb to $200 per barrel.
Additionally, last Friday, Iran launched two long-range missiles targeting a U.S.-British military base approximately 4,000 kilometers away from Iran, located on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. One missile exploded in flight, while the other was intercepted by a U.S. Navy destroyer using an SM-3 missile.
As these long-range missiles pose a threat to capitals like Berlin, Paris, Rome, and other countries in Europe, more nations have joined in declaring support for safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz.
The G7, the EU, on March 21st expressed readiness to take necessary actions to support global energy supply and reiterated the importance of defending the security of maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. Subsequently, Australia and the UAE also joined the joint statement. Currently, 22 countries have signed this declaration, with more expected to join in the future.
These nations stated in the joint declaration, “We stand ready to make the appropriate efforts to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the strait. We welcome active participation in planning preparations by all nations, while also striving to support the countries most severely affected, including through the United Nations and international financial institutions.”
Despite Japan’s post-World War II peace constitution that limits its military actions, a security law passed in 2015 allows Japan to deploy its Self-Defense Forces overseas in the event of a national survival crisis without other response mechanisms. Additionally, this law includes provisions for when close security partners (such as the U.S.) are under attack.
Motegi noted that currently, Japan does not have plans for separate negotiations to secure passage rights through the Strait of Hormuz for Japanese vessels stranded there. He emphasized that ensuring all ships can safely navigate through this narrow waterway is “crucial.”
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated to Kyodo news agency last Friday that he had discussed with Motegi the possibility of allowing safe passage through the strait for vessels related to Japan.
Currently, up to 90% of Japan’s oil transportation relies on this strait. With Tehran effectively closing off this waterway, global oil prices have been continuously on the rise, prompting Japan and other nations to release strategic oil reserves.
President Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Washington last Thursday, March 19th, urging her to “step up efforts” by sending warships to assist in reopening the strait.
Following the Washington summit, Takaichi told reporters that Japan had briefed Trump on what measures Japan could provide under its laws, assisting Trump in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.