Japan's Takaichi on sending warships to Hormuz: "I will clearly say what we cannot do"

Tokyo Correspondent Seo Hye-jin of Financial News reported that on the 18th, Prime Minister of Japan Takaichi Sanae addressed the issue of dispatching the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to the Strait of Hormuz, saying, "At the U.S.-Japan summit, I intend to clearly convey that what we cannot do, we cannot do."
Speaking that morning at a session of the Budget Committee in the House of Councillors, Takaichi said of the U.S.-Japan summit scheduled for the 19th, "We are closely monitoring the situation and actively gathering information, but no decision whatsoever has been made on sending the JSDF."
She added, "The situation is changing every day, and the messages from the United States are also shifting," and continued, "At this summit, I want to confirm that we will maximize our national interest, put the protection of our people's lives first, and at the same time strengthen the U.S.-Japan relationship."
She also said, "I hope this will be an opportunity for both countries to reaffirm their strong commitment to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), which is the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy."
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald John Trump wrote on his social networking service on the 17th (local time), referring to the dispatch of warships to the Strait of Hormuz and singling out the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Japan, "We do not need their help."

sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter