Tokyo, March 22 -- Japan has indicated that it could play a more active role in the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, though only after a ceasefire has been reached between all parties, amid the massive disruptions of oil and gas transit globally due to the corridor's closure, leading Tokyo to reassess its strategic interests in the route and the legality of Japanese military involvement.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Tokyo could consider deploying its advanced mine-clearance capabilities if naval mines remain a barrier to shipping once fighting stops.
"Japan's mine-clearance technology is one of the best in the world, so - while this remains purely hypothetical - if a ceasefire is achieved and mines pose a barrier, we could expl...