Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has indicated that Tokyo may consider deploying its Self-Defence Forces for minesweeping operations in the Strait of Hormuz, but only if a ceasefire is reached in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
Speaking on a television programme, Motegi said, “Japan’s minesweeping technology is at the top level in the world,” adding, “Let’s say a ceasefire is in place, and if mines become an obstacle, we may have to think about it.”
He noted there was no specific promise regarding any deployment, despite discussions during last week’s Japan-US summit in Washington .The conflict, which escalated after US and Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28, has raised concerns over regional stability. Japan depends on the region for more than 90 per cent of its crude oil imports, much of it passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
