Trump Expresses High Expectations for Japan to ‘Step Up’ Regarding Security in Strait of Hormuz

The Yomiuri Shimbun

2:00 JST, March 22, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump used the phrase “step up” six times during a summit meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, expressing his expectations for Japan to take more action regarding security in the Strait of Hormuz.

“I expect Japan to step up,” Trump said. “In the case of Japan, I hear they got more than 90% of their oil through the strait. So that’s a big reason.”

During the talks, Trump said: “We have 45,000 soldiers in Japan … I am not surprised that they [Japan] would step up.”

Trump has long maintained the view that Japan is getting a free ride on the security provided by the U.S. military. He views it as unfair that the United States, which does not depend on the strait for oil imports, to maintain a military presence in the Middle East to ensure freedom of navigation.

Trump’s comments also likely reflect a desire to avoid deploying additional troops, given parts of his core support base have expressed a strong opposition to the attacks on Iran.

According to a Japanese government official who attended the meeting, Takaichi intentionally refrained from asking what “stepping up” would specifically entail.

Instead, she said: “Because we rely on the strait for 90% of our crude oil, Japan wants to fulfill its responsibilities. We do not view this as someone else’s problem.”

Following the meeting, when asked by reporters whether Trump had requested that Japan dispatch Self-Defense Forces vessels, Takaichi avoided giving a direct answer and only said that it was a “sensitive exchange.”

“I explained in detail that there are things that we can and cannot do within the bounds of Japanese law,” Takaichi said.

During the talks, Trump identified the Strait of Hormuz as the only problem regarding the situation with Iran. Takaichi sought his understanding by explaining the constraints of Japan’s laws.

Trump said that Iran “could drop little bombs in the water and they’re holding things up.” This comment could be interpreted as urging Japan to cooperate more.

However, if the SDF were to remove mines while fighting is ongoing, it could be a violation of Article 9 of the Constitution, which prohibits the use of force. Japan can conduct mine-clearing operations after a ceasefire has been declared.

If the Japanese government were to recognize the situation as a survival-threatening situation under the security-related legislation, Japan could exercise the right of collective self-defense to escort ships or clear mines even in areas of active combat.

However, many within the Japanese government believe that recognizing it as such a situation is difficult, as the recent U.S. military strikes on Iran are widely viewed to be likely in violation of international law.

While Trump did not go as far as demanding specific legal applications during the meeting, the Japanese government is expected to struggle with how to support the U.S. military moving forward.