TOKYO, March 16 : Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday that Japan has not taken any decision to dispatch naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East amid rising tensions in the region.
Speaking in parliament, Takaichi said the government was still examining what steps could be taken within Japan’s legal framework and what actions it could undertake independently.
“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,” she said.
The Prime Minister also noted that the United States has not made any formal request to Japan for assistance in escorting vessels in the region.
Earlier President Donald Trump had told news channels that he was in talks with seven countries for assistance in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to tanker traffic.
Japan is heavily dependent on energy imports from West Asia, with about 70 per cent of its imported energy resources coming from the region, making stability in the sea lanes there critical for the country’s energy security.
(UNI)
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