TOKYO, March ⁠16 (Reuters) - Japan has no plan to dispatch naval vessels ⁠to escort vessels in the Middle East, Prime Minister ‌Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump called on allies to protect tankers traversing through the Strait of Hormuz. "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," Takaichi told parliament. Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force has conducted anti-piracy ⁠operations in waters near the Middle East, ​but those missions were policing operations rather than combat missions against state actors. Takaichi will travel to ​Washington this week for talks with Trump ⁠that she said will cover the conflict with Iran.

Source: The Star March 16, 2026 09:44 UTC