Should Japan send Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels to the Strait of Hormuz to escort tankers bringing oil to Japan?

Another question to ask is why Japan remains so dependent on burning so much oil and gas, and thereby so dependent on foreign nations.

For the same reasons other countries are still relying on fossile fuel, you take taxpayers money and put in the pockets of OPEC's leaders and their supporting parties and they will put taxpayers money in your pocket and that of your supporting parties.

Wash, rinse, repeat,...

Another question to ask is why Japan remains so dependent on burning so much oil and gas, and thereby so dependent on foreign nations.

They need to stay home. Protect Japan from trump.

We can only hope but with LDP in power I am not so sure.

They need to stay home. Protect Japan from trump.

If they can send the coastguard down to Antarctica to protect 'research' vessels, makes sense to send someone to protect Japan's fuel supplies, I suppose.

Joining a coalition with the Trump, though - nah.

And ideally, the money and effort spent on transporting fossil fuels from the other side of the world could be better spent developing and supporting renewable energy at home.

Japan ought not join the United States of America’s escort activities in the Strait of Hormuz for many reasons. The main one is that the USA’s client state in the Middle East is itching to get the USA involved in another proxy war of choice [similar to the mindless war on Iraq during the George W (Weapons of Mass Deception) Bush’s administration] on Iran.

If the ship is headed to Japan and there has been a history of similar ships, also headed to Japan, being attacked, then what better role is there for SDF?

No need to join any coalition, if that isn't desired unless it helps Japan.

Japanese ships, protecting Japanese cargo.

Better for Japan to sit this one out. Tokyo's relations with Tehran have been great and such an action could ruin it for the country's oil imports. No matter the purpose and which country it might be, seeing foreign naval ships in your waters is never a comforting thing since they're there for something other than a pleasure cruise

Send a small force as though it were a training exercise. The US forces aren’t going to attack it. If the Iranians and Japanese really get on so well, no danger there. I’m sure the Ayatollah will understand.

That's not maritime self-defense any more than it was when they sent them out illegally with whaling ships.

The question is really camaflage for a larger question: does Japan wish to take sides in a dispute between Saudi Arabia, backed by the US, and Iran? To put it more simply: does Japan wish its policy to be dictated by John Bolton and Donald Trump?

Not the first time a Japanese tanker has been attacked there. Quite sensible to place an escort in the area, although probably wise not to join the US's gang just yet.

In terms of humanitarian mission, I think it should.

No unless we see 100% evidence that it was indeed Iran who attacked the Japanese oil tankers as the US and British government claim the Japanese SDF should stay far far away from that region.

The US government justs want to form a coalition of the willing to invade Iran on false pretexts and secure its oil resources, this is a tactic they have been doing throughout the whole Middle Eastern region since the 1950's.

If Japan is the destination - if ya want it done right, do it yourself

The US should be held responsible for this situation, if it wants to provide escort it should use its own resources.

Legal or not, had they sent ships, support for Article 9 would just increase

As well, Article 9 keeps them back

so it's the perfect perpetual stalemate on the warhawks and that's just fine

As Japan is dependent on oil imports from the Gulf region, and has economic influence on a global scale, it has a responsibility to assure security in the region.

No. I’m for Japan having a very strong self defense force, but we can rely on Iran for providing security in the area. Iran is not the enemy.

Yes. I’m for Japan having a very strong self defense force.