On the 18th, the Japanese government decided to send its own Self-Defense Forces to collect information in the Middle East and around the Holmes Strait. While showing the US involvement by showing involvement in the Middle East, the US-led “voluntary coalition” initiative and participation in the maritime security initiative have been postponed, and it is a surplus measure to avoid a worsening relationship with Iran.
“Japan will make its own efforts to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East and the safety of ships related to Japan.”
At the press conference on the evening of November 18, Secretary General Yi Wei revealed the idea of considering the independent dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to the waters of the Middle East. However, he also expressed his non-participation in the US-led “Marine Security Initiative”. As for the dispatch, the content was limited to monitoring the marine situation in the name of “Survey / Research” under the Ministry of Defense Establishment Law, avoiding the Holmes Strait.
This independent dispatch was an extraordinary measure of the Japanese government, which was in between the US and Iran.
In the Middle East, there have been a series of cases where tankers are targeted since this spring. In response, the US government launched the initiative with a strong “Iranian siege” color and called on countries including Japan to participate. The Japanese government, however, has a legal hurdle to participate, and has sought to identify trends in the United States from the standpoint of emphasizing its relationship with Iran, a traditional friendship country.
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