Japan "Struggles to Cope" with U.S. Escort Demands; Ishiba Shigeru: Sending Troops Would Put Japan in Warring State with Iran

Question: What are the potential impacts on the Japan-U.S. alliance if AI Shigeru Ishiba warns about the consequences of deploying troops?

【Global Times Special Correspondent Qing Gui, Li Ziyuan】“Trump’s request for escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz has Japan struggling to respond,” on the 17th, Japan’s Kyodo News website focused on the pressure faced by the Sanae Takaichi government. The report states that Japan cannot participate in the scheduled Japan-U.S. summit on the 19th empty-handed, but the “overseas deployment” aimed at using force exceeds the “minimum necessary” for self-defense and is not permitted by the constitution. On the same day, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Nori Kihara stated that Japan currently has no plans to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces to the Middle East.

[File photo: Oil tankers and ships in the Strait of Hormuz. (Visual China)]

Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun disclosed that, due to constitutional restrictions preventing direct deployment of combat forces to conflict zones, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi listed options such as mine clearance, escort missions, and providing assistance to other countries during a Senate Budget Committee meeting on the 16th, and said she is “actively considering what measures can be taken within the scope of the law.”

For a long time, Japan has repeatedly used “intelligence gathering” as an excuse to dispatch SDF ships on foreign missions under the Defense Agency Establishment Law. Japanese media reports that experts say, to meet Trump’s core demand for escorting commercial ships, the military ships executing such missions would need additional authorization for the use of weapons.

A Japanese government official revealed that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin mentioned in a phone call with Japan’s Defense Minister on the 15th that the U.S. plans to issue a joint statement with relevant countries soon, emphasizing the importance of “freedom of navigation,” and has asked Japan to express support internationally. In response, Japan’s Defense Minister Kono Jinjirō did not comment at a press conference on the 17th.

Sources close to Takaichi told media that merely issuing a symbolic statement may not meet U.S. expectations; the U.S. clearly hopes to see the Self-Defense Forces head to the Persian Gulf. Therefore, the cabinet will seriously evaluate the possibility of forming a so-called “volunteer alliance.” The source emphasized that Takaichi must “reach a conclusion” before the Japan-U.S. summit on the 19th, and believes “Japan should take the initiative rather than passively respond.”

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said that even if Japan determines that the situation threatens its survival and thus meets the conditions for exercising collective self-defense, deploying troops to the Strait of Hormuz remains extremely difficult. Ishiba stated, “At this stage, exercising collective self-defense is far from public opinion, and Japan and Iran could also enter a state of war.” He emphasized that the exercise of self-defense rights depends on whether the supporting country’s actions comply with international law, so the Japanese government must first confirm whether the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran constitute self-defense before making further judgments.

According to Japan’s Jiji Press, the UK, France, and Germany have already rejected Trump’s request for troop deployment. Trump threatened that if NATO refuses assistance, it will face a “very difficult future.” Japanese public opinion generally believes that this sensitive issue will be a focus of Takaichi’s talks during her visit to the U.S.

South Korea is also under pressure. South Korea’s Defense Minister An Kyu-beom stated on the 17th that they have never received an official request from the U.S. to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz. He said that posts on social media should not be regarded as formal requests. Regarding the standard for an official request, An Kyu-beom said that both countries should follow formal procedures, such as the U.S. sending a request letter to South Korea and communication between defense ministers.

South Korea’s Blue House Chief of Staff Hong Yeo-chan told SBS TV on the 17th that, regarding Trump’s mention of the number of U.S. troops in South Korea and his emphasis on U.S. providing security support to allies and partner countries, as well as ongoing pressure to dispatch warships, the government should carefully consider the issue of troop deployment. This matter not only concerns Korea-U.S. relations but also involves domestic political consultation processes and must be comprehensively evaluated. The Blue House also stated on the 16th that Trump’s request is something that should be fully discussed between South Korea and the U.S. before making a decision.