Abe faces challenge from U.S. plan for Middle East maritime coalition

Oh just send the "Escort Vessels" already. Escort vessels, lacking substantial land attack means (Tomahawks) are essentially defensive weapons, unable to exert or threaten significant force on other states, and cannot resolve international relation problems. Thus, sending them does not violate the requirements of Article 9(1) of the Constitution.

Seems like a British ship has been seized by Iran.

Perhaps the best solution is for each country to escort their own vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. This would be an expensive proposition and come at a cost but this way (rightly or wrongly so) the U.S. can remove itself from this area and just let the chips fall where they may.

The Japanese navy could escort their oil tankers, a show of flag for other to keep off.

That is about how far I would be OK with a Japanese military presence in the area. Otherwise, any talk of building a military maritime coalition should be off the table considering that another Gulf of tonkin incident is not so far away.

For as long as the Donald, John Bolton, and other warmongers rule supreme in Washington, the Japanese government should start growing a spine and standing up against their shenanigans. Personally, I think Abe has reached his expiry date some time ago.

Two of our oil tankers got hit in middle east. Japan should definitely take actions to defend it's property and interest in that region.

Japan could send one of it's destroyers to escort Japanese tankers bound for Japan. If a british Frigate can scare off some Iran's ships, a Japanese guided missile destroyer can certainly do. Notwithstanding, Iran probably wouldn't want to mess with a country that it is on friendly terms to begin with (Japan). Just show the flag and escort ships like they do against pirates already in Somalia.

Abe invited the troubles for Japan, as simple as that. A leader without a vision is a nation's suffering.

Still giving money to Trump govt. and no help from them according to the US-Japan Treaty, and next to the J. self-defense forces in a region of imposing more threat to the other side ( Iran, Russia, China) what is it Abe for Japan? Is Japan a friendly country to Iran with him? I feel that Japan is much isolated in the position what Abe still going on...Time will tell, soon !

World War two was over 70 years ago. It's time Japan provided it's own defense of its oil interests.

Abe will do as Washington orders

Yup.

The solution is simple. Japan is built on a pacifist constitution. So, ignore Trump.

Yeah, now back to reality....

If everyone ignored him, he would go away. He will do anyway. One day.

2024, take it all in until then

Smith,

Awesome comments.

I always appreciate your input and I agree with you so often that it is mad.

Sorry but I'm not a fanboi. 86% of your oil goes thru that strait. If you do not want to participate then plant a few of those ridiculous oversized fans off your coast.

Japan should bolster protection of her ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Japanese Frigates can assist the safery of Japanese owned cargo ships. To tell the truth, I do no support armed combat at this stage from Japan against Iran. Japan has always had good relations with Iran, and is very tolerant of all the religions, unlike anti-Islam USA and The West.

Japan can provide monetary aid instead to assist her number one friend, the USA, to secure safety of this region. Japan is peace-loving.

Time to Abe to put his money where his mouth is. He wants to change the constitution article 9 for this very purpose. Good luck.

"Were there no “experts” in the administration to tell Trump/Bolton that they needed to wait 3 days to blab their mouths?"

Have you ever seen any evidence of foreign, domestic, or economic policy "experts" from day one of this administration

The solution is simple. Japan is built on a pacifist constitution. So, ignore Trump. If everyone ignored him, he would go away. He will do anyway. One day.

The US is up to no good in the ME, Japan should stay out of this mess.

Will Abe become another US puppet ?

We will have to wait & see...

Smith,

Awesome comments.

I always appreciate your input and I agree with you so often that it is mad.

Please keep on commenting on this site.....you are like a breath of fresh air......you and Disillusioned rule.

No......sarcasm intended.....I am with you 100%.

Eventually we’ll reach a point where both sides throw down the gauntlet and work to solve this dispute. We are not there yet.

But then once we win, we'll shove it down the people's throats and tell them they mandated us to do so,

despite not mentioning a word about it during our campaigns

Yep that's the way the LDP has been playing the political game for years now and despite this people still vote for them, go figure...

“Until the election is over, they can’t touch such a touchy subject”

But then once we win, we'll shove it down the people's throats and tell them they mandated us to do so, despite not mentioning a word about it during our campaigns. Yes, we promised the economy would be a priority, and we promised social welfare, but that can wait -- we want to change the Constitution and join some wars! We'll make them understand and cooperate.

The Japanese navy could escort their oil tankers

If Japan starts doing that I fear that all the nations who have interests in that region, and there are a lot, will display similar behavior and the situation will escalate very quickly.

Surprised anti-Trump people hasn't segue over to make it a Trump thing.

Me, personally, I think there must be a lot of allies quietly thinking 'is this proposed coalition an America first thing or world security thing'?

I would be very surprised if there's a 'coalition of the willing' for this, at least not with the current commander in chief.

Abe is Pochi. The best we can do is say Japan has always wanted to join the US coalition: “we will do our part and can be depended upon.” Saving face is always more important.

The true Japan is to be a harmonious nation with Iran and avoid conflicts. No military escorts needed. Saves money too.

Last month, a tanker operated by a Japanese shipping company was attacked in the Gulf of Oman and the United States blamed Iran. Tehran denied the allegation.

No evidence just like Iraq and Saddam’s WMD. Without evidence we can also say it was the US and not Iran that attacked the Japanese tankers.

The US goes around the world starting fires so they can sell their fire extinguishers.

Abe will do as Washington orders.

Indeed he will and the way LDP is spinning the fact that all the American government really wants is the SDF to assist them in their imperialistic wars is very dangerous indeed.

If America is directly attack of course Japan should assist them however Japanese soldiers shouldn't risk their lives to ensure America's control over Earth's natural resources.

Let them fight that battle by themselves.

Japanese tanker was attacked already, whether it was by Iran or not. Strait of Hormuz and the sea lane are the lifelines for Japan. This case is a so called existential threat. Japan had better participate in the maritime mission. It isn't allowed that Japan just stand by, if Japan is an independent country.

What challenge?

We all know what he will do which is do as told.

Abe will do as Washington orders.