Japan not yet planning Hormuz escort mission, PM Takaichi says

TOKYO — Japan does not currently plan to dispatch naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, after US President Donald Trump called on allies to help escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

"We have not made any decisions whatsoever about dispatching escort ships. We are continuing to examine what Japan can do independently and what can be done within the legal framework," Takaichi told parliament.

Trump's call in a social media post for US allies, including Japan, to help protect oil and gas shipments through the strategic waterway puts Tokyo in a difficult position because its war-renouncing constitution limits the scope of overseas military operations it can conduct.

The United States has yet to make a formal request for assistance, Takaichi said. — Reuters