One wonders if Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has really bypassed US President Donald J Trump’s reported call for dispatching her nation’s warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Reports are confusing on the issue. Premier Takaichi is reportedly said, “No decision has been made…We are carefully examining what can be done within the scope of current laws … we are continuing to engage with Iran to help de-escalate the situation.” Her defense minister Shinjiro Koizumi has denied the US has made any specific demand to send Japanese ships to the region.

One, however thinks Premier Takaichi may heed any such Trump request, if it is ever made! Right now, Premier Takaichi must be focused on boosting Japan’s ever-growing ties with the United States. Reports are that Takaichi may use her upcoming summit with US President Trump in Washington to convey Japan’s position on its dispute with China, win a firm commitment from Washington on the importance of the US-Japan alliance, and bolster Tokyo’s defence capabilities.  Takaichi may discuss joint development with the United States of deep sea rare earths off a remote Pacific island. Her Defense Minister Koizumi is in touch with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in regard to  the ongoing US/ Israel war with Iran.

Importantly, Premier Takaichi must be well aware that the contemporary world crucially depends on oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) supply through the Strait of Hormuz. A meaningful part of Japan’s own total energy supplies come from this Strait. As such the strait needs to remain secure from its present arbitrary control by radical Iran.

Pertinently, during security legislation deliberations in Japanese Parliament way back in 2015, her mentor and then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had made the importance of the Hormuz Strait very clear. Abe had declared if Iran were to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, that would qualify as a survival-threatening situation, making the country’s SDF operations legal.

Also, Premier Takaichi must be knowing well there is no point backing radical Iran in any way today. The current Iranian regime has no future. The ongoing US-Israel offensives against the Iranian regime has almost destroyed its base. The latest casualty of these strikes is Ali Larijani, who happened to  head Iran’s National Security Council. Even if the regime survives the US-Israel offensive, it is highly unlikely to be a reliable partner to Tokyo.

The nature of the post-1979 Iranian state is absolutely hostile to that of the Japanese one. History bears us since the fall of its Shah regime in 1979, the successive regimes in Iran have dogmatically advanced the legacy their founding Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He had said “We wish to cause the corrupt roots of Zionism, Capitalism and Communism to wither throughout the world.. …. We shall export our revolution to the whole world….” Khomeini commanded to export his version of Islam to the Arab world. He advocated the concept of wilayat al-faqih (guardianship of the jurist) to build Shia influence the world over. He divided the world into the mustazafeen (oppressed) and mustakbareen (oppressors).

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