March 15, 2026 | 04:56 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump claimed that "many countries" would be sending warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. But he did not specify which countries are on board with the plan.
This situation arises as the waterway that carries a fifth of the global oil and liquefied natural gas remains effectively closed on the 15th day of the US and Israel's war against Iran.
Through a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said that countries, especially those affected by the efforts to close the Strait of Hormuz, would be sending warships “in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe."
As reported by Al Jazeera, Trump mentioned China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK among those expected to contribute.
In the same post, Trump emphasized that the US had destroyed 100 percent of Iran's military capabilities. However, he acknowledged that Iran could still send one or two drones, drop mines, or launch short-range missiles along the Strait of Hormuz.
He also promised that in the meantime, the US would bomb the shoreline and continue to shoot Iranian ships out of the area. Trump pledged to ensure that the strait could be safely navigated.
The head of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, Alireza Tangsiri, responded that “The Strait of Hormuz has not yet been militarily closed and is merely under control.”
In a post on X, he replied to Trump's comments by saying that the US incorrectly claimed to have destroyed Iran's navy.
Senior Japanese policy advisor, Takayuki Kobayashi, responded to Trump's request, stating on Sunday that the threshold for Tokyo to send its warships to help protect the oil shipping lanes in the Middle East is "extremely high."
Japan, the world's fourth-largest economy, is the fifth-largest oil importer, with 95 percent coming from the Middle East, and 70 percent passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now effectively closed.
“I regard the threshold as extremely high" to send Japanese navy ships to the region based on relevant laws, said Takayuki Kobayashi, the policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) under Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, on Sunday, March 15, 2026, as reported by Arab News.
“Legally speaking, we do not rule out the possibility, but given the current situation in which this conflict is ongoing, I believe this is something that must be considered with great caution," he said.
Sending the Self-Defense Force overseas is politically sensitive in Japan, which officially adheres to pacifism. Many voters support the 1947 constitution enforced by the US and reject war.
Last week, Takaichi stated in a parliamentary session that "nothing has been decided" regarding whether Japan would send warships to the Middle East to escort tankers. Takaichi is expected to visit Washington this week to hold discussions with Trump, where various issues, including security in the Asia-Pacific region and the war against Iran, are likely to be discussed.
Kobayashi said that he would like to see Takaichi “ascertain what President Trump's true intentions are” regarding his call to send assistance.
PUTRI MAHARANI KRISTIANA
Read: Iran Considers Yuan Payments for Hormuz Ship Passage
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