Japan has no immediate plan to send naval vessels to escort ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump urged allies to help protect oil tankers passing through the strategic waterway.

Speaking in parliament, Takaichi said the government had not made any decision about deploying escort ships.

“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,” she told lawmakers.

Trump Urges Allies To Protect Shipping

Trump recently called on U.S. allies, including Japan, to assist in protecting oil and gas shipments moving through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.

The request places Tokyo in a difficult position because Japan depends heavily on Middle Eastern energy supplies but faces strict constitutional limits on overseas military operations.

Legal And Political Constraints

Japan’s war-renouncing constitution restricts the scope of military action abroad, making any combat-related mission politically sensitive.

While Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force has previously conducted anti-piracy patrols in waters near the Middle East, those operations were limited to policing missions rather than combat deployments against other states.

Japan can deploy its military overseas if the government determines there is an existential threat to the nation, but such a decision requires a high legal threshold and strong political justification.

Talks With Washington Planned

Takaichi is scheduled to travel to Washington this week for talks with Trump, where the conflict involving Iran is expected to be discussed.

“I would like to engage in solid discussions based on Japan’s views and position regarding the need for early de-escalation,” she told parliament.

(with inputs from Reuters)