Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has appeared to avoid directly committing to US President Donald Trump’s call for allied warships to be deployed to the Strait of Hormuz, media reports said.
Trump has repeatedly shifted his stance over the past week on whether NATO members and allies, including Australia, South Korea and Japan, should provide maritime support in the strategic waterway.
According to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, Trump raised the issue during a meeting with Takaichi at the White House on Thursday. In response, the Japanese leader outlined “in detail what Japan can do and cannot do” under its legal framework.
Although Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force is among the world’s largest naval forces, its operations are limited by the country’s pacifist constitution.
Takaichi is believed to have indicated willingness to assist in other ways. Trump later told reporters that Japan was fulfilling its responsibilities, in contrast to some NATO countries, the report said.
“I expect Japan to step up, because we have that kind of relationship,” Trump said. “We have 45,000 soldiers in Japan… we spend a lot of money on Japan… so I expect, I’m not surprised that they would step up.”
#From Al Jazeera