In a meeting at the White House on Thursday alongside Japan Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Trump said that Japan was "really stepping up to the plate" regarding the US and Israel-led operation in Iran and thanked the country for its "tremendous support."
"We've had tremendous support and relationship with Japan on everything, and I believe that based on statements that were given to us yesterday, the day before yesterday having to do with Japan, they are really stepping up to the plate, yes," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, saying that he and Takaichi would be discussing more about it later that day.
Takaichi told Trump during the meeting, "Only you … can achieve peace across the world," later adding that she was "ready to reach out to many of the partners in the international community to reach our objectives together."
Per Politico, it is unclear how much material support Japan can provide in reopening the strait. The country’s post-war constitution forbids the deployment of military forces into combat situations. Takaichi said her government is looking into what Japan can do legally to assist in the matter.
This comes after leaders from Japan joined the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Canada in condemning Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s oil supply flows.
"We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces," the joint statement said.
The statement said that the countries are ready "to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning."
"We've had tremendous support and relationship with Japan on everything, and I believe that based on statements that were given to us yesterday, the day before yesterday having to do with Japan, they are really stepping up to the plate, yes," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, saying that he and Takaichi would be discussing more about it later that day.
Takaichi told Trump during the meeting, "Only you … can achieve peace across the world," later adding that she was "ready to reach out to many of the partners in the international community to reach our objectives together."
Per Politico, it is unclear how much material support Japan can provide in reopening the strait. The country’s post-war constitution forbids the deployment of military forces into combat situations. Takaichi said her government is looking into what Japan can do legally to assist in the matter.
This comes after leaders from Japan joined the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Canada in condemning Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s oil supply flows.
"We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces," the joint statement said.
The statement said that the countries are ready "to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning."
