Japan weighs sending minesweepers to Strait of Hormuz amid political debate

Japan is considering deploying its Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Strait of Hormuz for minesweeping and escort operations following a US-Iran MoU. The waterway is critical to Japan's energy security, with much of its crude oil imports passing through it. Japan's constitution places strict limits on overseas military deployments, and opinion polls show most Japanese oppose sending forces to the Middle East. The government says no decision has been made but considers mine clearance legally per