As the possibility of the South Korean government dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz is raised, Japan—which has likewise been asked by the United States to contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz—is closely watching South Korea's decision.

Major Japanese media outlets reported today on South Korean media reports that the South Korean government is considering deploying troops to the Strait of Hormuz, focusing on the potential impact on Japan.

In a dispatch from Seoul, the Nikkei noted that U.S. President Donald Trump demanded in March that allies, including Japan, contribute to ensuring the safe navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, pointing out that "Japan and South Korea face similar environments."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who discussed the issue of ensuring safety in the Strait of Hormuz with President Trump during a U.S.-Japan summit held in Washington, D.C. that same month, had previously mentioned legal constraints on troop deployment and conveyed her intention to respond within the bounds of Japanese law.

Kyodo News projected 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."

The Japanese government has hitherto maintained the stance that "overseas troop deployments are generally not permitted" under Article 9 of the Constitution, which renounces the threat or use of force.

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

In fact, the Maritime Self-Defense Force participated in minesweeping in the Persian Gulf after the end of the Gulf War in 1991.

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