Japanese Govt Mulling Contribution Measures Regarding Iran Following Trump-Takaichi Summit in Washington

By Takahito Higuchi / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:30 JST, March 24, 2026

Following Japan and the United States confirming the importance of ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively blocked by Iran after the country was attacked by the United States and Israel, Japan has begun evaluating concrete contribution measures.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed the importance during their talks in Washington on Thursday.

Japan plans to carefully examine the feasibility of its involvement with the situation in Iran. This includes minesweeping by the Maritime Self-Defense Force, which is highly skilled in conducting such efforts in oceans, contingent on dispatching Self-Defense Force vessels once a ceasefire is declared.

“We will consult with relevant countries to consider necessary responses while carefully assessing the situation,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference Monday. He added that “Japan made no specific commitments” during the Japan-U.S. summit, emphasizing that nothing has been decided at this stage.

Takaichi told reporters after the summit that she had clearly explained to Trump what Japan can and cannot do within the confines of the law. This is because dispatching the SDF to the strait, where fighting is ongoing, carries a high risk of engagement with Iranian forces, which could violate Article 9 of the Constitution unless the right to self-defense is invoked.

Speaking on a Fuji TV program Sunday, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Trump nodded when Takaichi made the remarks, showing that he somehow understood her. Motegi added that dispatching MSDF minesweeping units to the area could become an option when a complete ceasefire is established.

Mines left after a ceasefire are considered obstacles hindering maritime safety and can be removed within the scope of police authority. In 1991, a MSDF minesweeping unit was dispatched to the Persian Gulf after the Gulf War.

Surrounded by the sea, Japan has traditionally possessed strong anti-mine capabilities, and the MSDF, which has 16 minesweeping vessels, conducts annual training using actual mines.

“If a ceasefire is reached, Japan can contribute in various ways as part of regular SDF duties,” said Former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera of the Liberal Democratic Party on a BS Nippon TV program Monday.

In an interview with U.S. media following the summit, Trump said despite constitutional constraints, Japan will support the United States when needed. Mike Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., also said on a news program that Takaichi had promised support by the SDF.

If the blockade drags on, Washington may pressure Tokyo to make a wide range of contributions, not limited to after a ceasefire.