Japan Not Planning to Send Ships to Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Says

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers a speech during the graduation ceremony at the National Defense Academy of Japan in Yokosuka, Japan, on Saturday.Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

TOKYO, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Japan is not currently planning to dispatch naval vessels to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump called on allies to send ships to the region.

“We have not yet made any decisions whatsoever regarding the dispatch of naval vessels. We are currently examining what Japan can do independently within our legal framework,” Takaichi told parliament.

Trump said in a social media post on Saturday that he hoped countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom would send ships to the area.

Takaichi said no formal request had been received from Washington.

“The Japanese government is currently considering methods for taking the necessary response,” she said, adding that authorities are assessing measures to protect Japan-related vessels and their crews.

Japan’s post-World War II constitution renounces war as a means of settling international disputes and limits the activities of its self-defense forces, which operate under strict legal restrictions.

Takaichi, who became Japan’s leader last year, has previously argued in favor of revising the constitution to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities.

The Japanese prime minister is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Thursday.