Commercial ships are anchored off the coast of Dubai on March 2. As of March 17, the Strait of Hormuz remains mostly blocked (©Getty Images via Kyodo)
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi should decide to dispatch the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) assets to the Middle East to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has adopted a stance of obstructing free passage through the strait. As a result, tanker traffic has come to a virtual halt there. Meanwhile, Japan relies on the Middle East for over 90% of its crude oil imports, and the majority of these pass through the strait. Although Japan has more than 250 days' worth of oil reserves, its drawdown has already begun.
If crude oil imports are cut off and reserves run out, Japan's very survival will be uncertain. It would become difficult to sustain economic activity, and the impact on the people's lives could be dire. Restraining oil consumption to conserve reserves and increasing imports via the Red Sea region through pipelines are imperative. Diplomatic efforts are also essential to calm the overall Middle East situation.
Nevertheless, tanker passage through the Strait of Hormuz remains absolutely essential. In fact, it is Japan's lifeline.
Moreover, tankers bound for China continue to pass through the strait. Their passage is evidence that the threat from naval mines may not be as significant as feared. Naval escorts would allow other tankers to traverse the strait as well.
Joining with Other Nations
The leaders of the Group of Seven countries (G7) have agreed to consider providing naval escorts. Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution condemning Iran's obstruction of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
And in a social media post, United States President Donald Trump has called on Japan, China, France, South Korea, and the United Kingdom by name to send warships to help escort civilian ships through the strait.
In the Diet on March 16, Prime Minister Takaichi said that Japan is independently considering what course of action it should take. This, she made clear, is not because of a request from the United States. That is exactly the right position to take.
Having the MSDF provide escorts is necessary to ensure Japan's survival and continued existence by securing energy supplies. If the need arises, we should also consider committing minesweeper units.
What would happen if Japan hesitates and the navies of other countries, such as South Korea and China, provide escorts? Japan would lose its honorable position in the international community, a position that the Constitution also demands.
Protecting Japan and Its People
The Japan-US alliance would also become dysfunctional. This could affect the joint response if there is a crisis in Northeast Asia, including a Taiwan contingency.
There are a variety of justifications for deploying MSDF units. These include defensive deployment, the exercise of collective self-defense based on the recognition of a "situation threatening national survival," and maritime security operations.
The government should adopt a legal basis for such deployment that best facilitates MSDF protection of vessels and cooperation with other countries. If the conclusion is reached that all deployments whatsoever are impossible, that would jeopardize Japan's own survival.
Any interpretation that leads to such a conclusion is both unrealistic and simply wrong. Politically, the government can respond effectively to the situation with flexible thinking and pursue the course of action required to protect Japan and its people.
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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
