US President Donald Trump has called for reinforcements from countries including Japan after earlier vowing that the US Navy would "very soon" begin escorting tankers through the vital shipping lane for oil in the Middle East
US President Donald Trump has called for reinforcements from countries including Japan after earlier vowing that the US Navy would "very soon" begin escorting tankers through the vital shipping lane for oil in the Middle East
Japan said Monday it was not currently thinking about ordering maritime security operations, after US President Donald Trump called for other countries to send warships to help protect the Strait of Hormuz.
"In the current Iran situation, we are not at the moment considering issuing a maritime security operation," Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told parliament.
Trump called for reinforcements on Saturday from countries including Japan after earlier vowing that the US Navy would "very soon" begin escorting tankers through the vital shipping lane for oil in the Middle East.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday that she had not received a request from Trump.
"The question is what Japan should do on our own initiative and what's possible within our legal framework, rather than what's requested by the United States," she told parliament. "We have asked various sections of various ministries to discuss this."
Any maritime security operation would be "extremely difficult legally", she added.
Sending its Self-Defense Forces abroad is politically sensitive in officially pacifist Japan, as many voters support the US-imposed, war-renouncing 1947 constitution.
Takayuki Kobayashi, the policy chief of Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Sunday the threshold was "extremely high" for Tokyo to send in its warships.
The world's number-four economy is the fifth-biggest importer of oil, with 95 percent of it coming from the Middle East and 70 percent passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has effectively closed the strait in retaliation for the US-Israeli war against Tehran.
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PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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&&
...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
...FREEZE WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM CDT
WEDNESDAY...
* WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with
gusts up to 30 mph. For the Freeze Warning, sub-freezing
temperatures as low as 26 expected.
* WHERE...A portion of central Alabama.
* WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, until 7 PM CDT this evening. For the
Freeze Warning, from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM CDT Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Trees
could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Frost and
freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and
possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Secure outdoor objects.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
To prevent freezing and possible bursting of pipes they should be
wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.
&&
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