Japan, 5 European Nations Release Joint Statement Pledging to Contribute to Safety in Strait of Hormuz

By Ayaka Kudo / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

13:00 JST, March 20, 2026

BERLIN — Japan, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands issued a joint statement on Thursday that they are ready to contribute to ensuring safety in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran is attacking ships, without stating concrete measures.

“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” the six nations said in the statement.

Britain took the lead in drafting the statement. As U.S. President Donald Trump has called for cooperation to ensure the safety of the strait, the six nations aim to demonstrate their shared sense of crisis and support the United States.

In the statement, the six countries “condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.”

They also emphasized that “freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law.” Additionally, they “welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.”