Bloomberg reported today: "Japanese Defense Minister Shintaro Ishihara said that Japan currently has no plan to dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz, after pressure from Trump before a summit with Takahiro Hoshino later this week."
Comment: Japan is constrained by its constitution and domestic laws, and is highly dependent on Middle Eastern oil. It does not want to anger Iran by taking sides with the US, which would cut off its energy lifeline; at the same time, it does not want to become a pawn in the US-Iran conflict, which could bring security risks to itself. This is a typical case of prioritizing economic interests over alliance obligations, and also indicates that Trump's coercive diplomacy has failed to command allies on key issues. The US-led "convoy alliance" has been in an awkward situation from the beginning.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859793259125769/
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