Japan’s prime minister came to the White House on Thursday and delivered exactly what President Donald Trump was seeking: a promise to join a U.S.-led coalition to stabilize shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s blockade is disrupting global oil supplies.
Takachi Sanae told Trump, “Only you … can achieve worldwide peace.” Echoing the president’s insistence that Iran should “never” develop nuclear weapons, he also confirmed that Japan would join a small group of allies in talks about securing the strait.
“I am prepared to reach out to many partners in the international community to reach our objectives,” Takachi said during an appearance with Trump in the Oval Office.
Led by the UK, the six allies, including Japan, issued a carefully calibrated statement on Thursday expressing their general support for a potential coalition to ensure ships can safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz – though they stopped short of committing to any specific allocation of military resources.
The vague promises of help are largely an effort to appease Trump, who is pressuring aides to do more — and making it clear in private conversations","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/strait-hormuz-iran-trump-allies-oil-00832792?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0Y wZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAEe9sbpwTRn7oJWN_DPVRdEp6qTjI3QrZFqxs_zVQmUaKW6CS3ovT9_TnNFsUw_aem_7eCChaHgcdMDMFUNNqCpVQ","_Identification": :"0000019d-076a-d1d2-a5bd-3feb96f00004","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-076a-d1d2-a5bd-3feb96f00005","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>clarifying in private He will be satisfied with a public statement, even if it does not contain any concrete commitment.
Trump, in turn, praised Takachi as a “very popular, powerful woman” and said he was not surprised that Japan is “moving forward.” However, key European allies received less credit for their support.
“Now they’re being very nice because they’re seeing my attitude,” Trump said of European Union countries. He said about the EU countries that they have tried to bend to his will. “But as far as I’m concerned, it’s too late now.”
That rift also served to undermine the president’s hard-line claim that the United States doesn’t really need help securing the strait.
“We don’t need much. We don’t need anything,” he said. “But I think it’s fair.”
It is unclear how much material support Takachi might provide to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the safe transit of more than 1,000 civilian cargo ships – particularly oil and liquid natural gas carriers – stuck in the Persian Gulf since the Iran conflict began nearly three weeks ago.
Japan’s post-war constitution prohibits the deployment of Japanese military forces in war situations – a very real possibility if Japanese naval ships act as escorts in the strait amid ongoing attacks by Iranian missiles and drones. Takaichi said his government was studying what Japan could legally do to help.
Japan has been deeply affected by the disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Shipments crossing the strait provide around 70 percent of Japan’s oil is imported And about 6 percent of that is imported liquefied natural gas. Japan will export crude oil “significantly reduced” Takaichi said Monday around March 20 if the strait remains impassable.
Trump, who at times called the Iran war “a little excursion”, reiterated his belief that the war is going well. Asked why he did not share war plans with close allies, in an odd comment he compared the initial US-Israeli attack on Iran to Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor 81 years earlier.
“Who knows the element of surprise better than Japan?” Trump became angry and turned to Takaichi. “Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?”
Trump also dismissed the possibility that he would deploy ground troops to Iran, although he dodged the bullet when asked directly.
“I’m not deploying troops anywhere,” Trump said, responding to a reporter’s question. “If I was, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.” But he also said he would do “whatever is necessary” to stabilize global oil prices.
Beyond the conversation about Iran, Trump scored Takachi a diplomatic victory by referencing China’s ongoing economic coercion campaign against Tokyo.
Asked about China-Japan relations, Trump said, “I know they have a somewhat sour relationship.” “I will praise Japan when I’m in China with President Xi,” Trump said, referring to a planned summit.","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/08/chinas-foreign-minister-us-china-ties-00818302","_Identification": :"0000019d-076a-d1d2-a5bd-3feb96f0000a","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-076a-d1d2-a5bd-3feb96f0000b","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>a planned summit Trump, along with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, said it had been “postponed for about a month and a half.” This language will surely anger the Chinese government, which has described Takaichi as a threat to regional peace.
Beijing has imposed targeted economic punishment for months Japan’s tourism sector has collapsed, Cutting rare earth export And dozens of Japanese companies were included in it Chinese export ban watch lists.
Beijing launched that economic coercion campaign After Takaichi’s announcement Said in November that military aggression in the Taiwan Strait could represent an “existential-threat situation” requiring a Japanese military response. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters on Thursday","Add":{"Target": :"New","Property":(),"url": :"https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xw/fyrbt/lxjzh/202603/t20260319_11877725.html","_Identification": :"0000019d-076a-d1d2-a5bd-3feb96f00014","_Type": :"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_Identification": :"0000019d-076a-d1d2-a5bd-3feb96f00015","_Type": :"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>told reporters on Thursday His comments indicated “Japan’s intention to attempt armed intervention on the Taiwan question and to raise the threat of force against China.”
