Japan Prioritizes 'Diplomacy' over Trump's Mine Countermeasure Ship; Lee Jae-myung Proposes 'Escort Deployment' for UAE Deal
Japan has reinforced its principle of prioritizing diplomacy in response to President Trump's request for a mine countermeasure ship, while the Lee Jae-myung administration has approached troop deployment by directly negotiating with the UAE, which was the quickest to align itself with the Trump administration.
On the 18th, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik visited the UAE as a presidential special envoy and promised a "top priority supply" of 24 million barrels, stating it was in response to a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz; just prior to this, the UAE announced its "participation in military cooperation to respond to the Trump blockade."
It appears that the Lee Jae-myung administration concretized its strategy to dispatch naval vessels under the pretext of "supporting the transportation of crude oil to the UAE," in response to Trump's request to send warships to counter the blockade.
During a Blue House briefing, Chief of Staff Kang stated, "We have agreed to sign a 'Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Crude Oil Supply Chain Cooperation' containing details such as exploring alternative supply routes for crude oil between the two countries, and we plan to sign it soon." By "providing supply security" to restore shipments at UAE ports, which are currently unable to receive supplies, Korea has become the top priority participant in the Trump administration's "breakthrough of the Iranian oil supply blockade."
Upon actually agreeing to the signing of this agreement, Chief of Staff Kang announced on the 18th that "we have confirmed the emergency import of a total of 18 million barrels of crude oil," and Korean media outlets unanimously reported this as "securing oil supply," coordinating their falsification of the facts.
Director Kang stated that South Korea “promised ‘number one priority’ in the UAE,” noting that “the Strait of Hormuz is effectively blockaded.”
He remarked that “to overcome the current energy crisis, it is urgent to secure crude oil through alternative supply lines rather than Hormuz,” thereby demonstrating a “priority supply promise” as a strategy to “lift the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.”
On the 17th, Anwar Gargash, the UAE Presidential Foreign Affairs Advisor, announced at an online event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) that the UAE could join international efforts led by the United States to ensure the safety and security of the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. State Department announced in a press release on the 17th that prior to this, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio held a phone call with Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
On the 15th, President Trump requested that allies in Europe and Asia, including South Korea and Japan, dispatch warships for escorting the Strait of Hormuz; however, the UK and Germany officially rejected the request, followed by France. On the 16th, after Germany and the UK refused to send troops to the strait, President Trump remarked, "Several countries will arrive soon," and noted that French President Macron had received an 8 out of 10 score, indicating a high likelihood of providing assistance in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump praised the move, saying, "It is not perfect, but it is French." However, on the same day, the French Foreign Ministry officially rejected the call, stating, "No. The aircraft carrier and its unit remained in the Eastern Mediterranean. The stance has not changed." Following this, President Lee Jae-myung urgently dispatched Chief of Staff Kang Kyung-wha as a special envoy to the UAE.
Regarding the demand for troop deployment, Representative Kim Byung-joo (Democratic Party) stated on Channel A on the 18th, "There are no mines installed." He assessed the demand as a deceptive strategy, noting, "This demand for deployment could be a tactic by the U.S. to buy time. Preparations are needed to occupy Kharg Island or Qeshm Island, so I suspect there is an aspect of buying time."
Based on this assessment, he announced that "South Korea is capable of deploying troops." He went on to address the controversy over the deployment of Japanese troops, stating, “What the U.S. likely wants from Japan is a minesweeper.”
He explained, “A minesweeper is a vessel designed to remove mines once they have been laid, but realistically, there are currently no mines laid in the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore, even if minesweepers are deployed, they do not necessarily need to stay in a dangerous area; they could remain in a safe zone like the Gulf of Aden and be deployed only after mines are laid.”
On the other hand, Izumi Fukumoto, a former commander of the Japan Self-Defense Force’s mine clearing team and an expert on Japanese minesweeping, and Professor Koichiro Tanaka of Keio University stated on BS Nippon Television’s “In-depth News” on the 17th regarding the possibility of Iran laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz and the response Japan should take, that “passage is impossible regardless of whether mines are laid.”
Former Commander Fukumoto pointed out that the reason Iran neither confirmed nor denied the laying of these mines was the "proper use of naval mines," stating that "the reason is that ships cannot sail until they prove there are no mines."
He continued, "Even if they lie, they cannot sail," adding that even if Prime Minister Takaichi dispatches a Japanese minesweeper, "on-site resupply will be difficult." He noted that "while there is legal controversy, we must closely examine the reality."
The New York Times reported on the 17th that "while European allies have publicly tried to distance themselves from the conflict, Prime Minister Takaichi displayed a more ambiguous attitude." The report noted that "she stated it is 'legally difficult' for Japan to order the navy for maritime security operations and that the situation in Iran is not yet a 'threat to survival' that would allow for a military response from Japan."
The NYT further stated, "However, she also said that 'we are considering what we can do,' and is refraining from commenting on the legitimacy of a U.S.-Israel attack."
Prime Minister Takaichi will hold a summit with President Trump at the White House on the 19th, which will include a luncheon followed by a dinner.
The New York Times stated, “Trump appears to be paying attention to Japan’s advanced mine-clearing fleet, but this was after the U.S. military’s combat missions had ended following its deployment to the Persian Gulf in 1991.”
The article highlighted Japan’s “priority over friendly relations” with Iran, noting, “Japan dispatched its Maritime Defense Force to the waters near the Middle East to patrol sea lanes and gather intelligence, but avoided the Strait of Hormuz; this was a clear attempt to avoid giving the impression that Japan was standing with the U.S. against Iran, with whom it has maintained friendly relations for a long time.”
Jeffrey W. Honung, a Japan expert at the Rand Corporation—a strategist group led by hardline conservatives since the Reagan era—told the NYT regarding troop deployment negotiations at the U.S.-Japan summit, “If Takaichi goes in and says, ‘This is a big problem for us,’ and Trump turns around and asks, ‘Then what are you going to do?’—I don’t know how Japan will answer that question.” Prime Minister Takaichi previously discussed the economic impact of the military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran at the G7 summit (online) on the 11th and agreed to cooperate to restore "freedom of navigation" in the Middle East regarding the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
A joint statement released by France on the same day stated that it would "consider the possibility of escorting ships sailing in the Middle East if safety conditions are met."
In an editorial on the 17th, Mainichi stated, "Japan has long pursued independent diplomacy in the Middle East and built friendly relations with Iran. Based on that history, it is essential to urge the lifting of the blockade of the strait."
The editorial stated, "Even if a direct request is made, Japan must make its position clear: the Self-Defense Forces will not be deployed," adding, "A solution must be achieved through diplomacy. Japan, which secures over 90% of its crude oil from the Middle East, has a top priority of ending the fighting and restoring peace and stability in the Strait of Hormuz. The Prime Minister must directly urge Trump to agree to an immediate ceasefire."
The editorial titled "<Editorial: Japan Must Rely on Diplomacy, Not Deployment, to End the Middle East Crisis>" stated in its introduction that "Japan must have a clear vision of what it can realistically do to control the Middle East crisis."
It further noted, "U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Japan, along with several other nations including China, to dispatch naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the safe passage of oil tankers. While oil prices are soaring and criticism of the U.S. administration is mounting, this chaos was triggered by Washington itself. Requesting the dispatch of warships from other countries is not justified."
Rep. Kim Byung-joo, a former four-star general and the leader of military strategy under the Lee Jae-myung administration, characterized the U.S. request for troop deployments from other countries (Japan and Korea, excluding China) as "buying time" on Channel A. He revealed the deployment strategy, stating, "It appears the U.S. is buying time to prepare to occupy two important islands in the Strait of Hormuz with ground forces."
See <Trump’s Message Avoiding Iran War Review Causes Confusion; Lee Jae-myung ‘Imitates’ Real Estate Tax Hike, March 17, 2026>