Japan on Thursday welcomed the signing by the United States and Iran of a memorandum of understanding to end their monthslong war in the Middle East, pledging Tokyo's maximum contributions to the region's stability and reconstruction.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara also told a press conference Japan hopes that the deal will be steadily implemented and that free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies, will be restored swiftly.
"We strongly expect a final agreement on the Iran nuclear issue and others to be reached as soon as possible," Kihara said, adding that Japan intends to play "every possible role" for the region's stability and reconstruction efforts.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point memorandum to halt military operations with a 60-day window to negotiate a final peace deal, according to U.S. government officials and Iran's state-run media.
Iran reportedly has laid mines in the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz, in a blow to Japan, a U.S. ally heavily reliant on the Middle East for its crude oil imports through the waterway.
Asked about the possibility of deploying the Self-Defense Forces, known for their minesweeping capabilities, to the Middle East, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a parliamentary committee session that he is not aware of any specific request having been made and that there is no hard information on whether mines have been laid.
Tokyo will "make diplomatic efforts, together with the international community," to help Washington and Tehran narrow their gap over "remaining issues" such as those regarding Iran's nuclear program and sanctions relief for the country, Motegi said.
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