TOKYO, March 16: Two key allies of the US, Japan and Australia, have indicated on Monday that they may not be willing to deploy naval ships to patrol the contested straits of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump revealed that the USA is talking with seven nations dependent on Gulf oil to assist in protecting shipping in the narrow but strategic sea corridor.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said on Sunday that several governments had been approached to help safeguard commercial vessels passing through the narrow waterway.
Trump, however, did not name the countries, though on Saturday in a social media post he had said that he hopes countries like “China, Japan, South Korea and the UK and others that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships” to patrol the crucial straits.
“I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory,” Trump said, adding, that they should collaborate as “they get their energy” from the region.
The American president said he expected several of the countries contacted to deploy naval vessels to ensure safe passage for ships through the strait, a key maritime chokepoint through which roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply passes.
Trump also spoke about Operation Epic Fury, suggesting that negotiations with Tehran remain uncertain.
“They want to negotiate badly, as they should, but I don’t think they’re ready to do what they have to do,” he said. “We will finish the job.”
The war between US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other has escalated sharply since the end of February when it started. As a result, the conflict has disrupted tanker traffic and creating volatility in global energy markets. Iran has resorted to blocking oil shipments through the route by using drones, mines, etc.
However, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday that Japan has not taken any decision to dispatch naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East amid rising tensions in the region.
Speaking in parliament, Takaichi said the government was still examining what steps could be taken within Japan’s legal framework and what actions it could undertake independently.
“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 said.
The Prime Minister also noted that the United States has not made any formal request to Japan for assistance in escorting vessels in the region. Japan is heavily dependent on energy imports from West Asia, with about 70 per cent of its imported energy resources coming from the region, making stability in the sea lanes there critical for the country’s energy security.
Meanwhile, another key US ally in the Indo-Pacific region, Australia, has indicated that its role in the region will remain limited. In a radio interview, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King stated that the country plans to deploy a military aircraft to the United Arab Emirates to support defence-related activities.
However, she clarified that Australia will not send naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz. According to King, Australia has not received any request to contribute ships and is not involved in operations aimed at restoring maritime navigation through the strait. She added that the government currently has no plans to dispatch naval forces to the area.
Earlier, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had already issued travel advisories for several countries in the region through its Smartraveller platform. On Saturday, the department expanded its guidance, urging Australian citizens to avoid even transiting through those countries, including staying inside airport terminals without entering the country.
(UNI)
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