South Korea Considers Hormuz Dispatch... Japan Expected to Face Increased Pressure

As the possibility of the South Korean government dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz has been raised,

the Japanese government, which is facing similar pressure from the United States, is also keeping a close watch on the situation.

Major Japanese media outlets reported today (the 4th) on domestic media reports that the South Korean government is considering troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, drawing attention to the potential impact on Japan.

In a dispatch from Seoul, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) noted that U.S. President Donald Trump had asked allies, including Japan, back in March to contribute to ensuring the security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, pointing out that "Japan and South Korea find themselves in similar environments."

During the U.S.-Japan summit held in Washington, D.C. that same month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi discussed the issue of ensuring safety in the Strait of Hormuz with President Trump, conveying her stance that any response would be handled within the framework of Japanese law, while citing legal constraints regarding troop deployment.

Kyodo News forecasted that "if the South Korean government actually decides to dispatch troops, pressure on the Japanese government to also make a contribution is likely to increase."

Meanwhile, the Japanese government has maintained the policy that "dispatching troops overseas is generally not permitted" under Article 9 of the Constitution, which renounces the threat or use of force.

However, its stance is that minesweeping operations by the Maritime Self-Defense Force are permissible under the premise that it is in a non-combat zone.

In fact, the Maritime Self-Defense Force participated in mine clearance in the Persian Gulf following the end of the Gulf War in 1991.

Regarding the possibility of South Korea's troop deployment to Hormuz and the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, the Japanese government spokesperson, stated at a press conference that day, "I will refrain from commenting on the trends of other countries," adding, "As stated before, nothing has been decided yet regarding the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.