President Trump on Thursday told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that her country has been supportive of the U.S. military action in Iran, contrasting it with European leaders who have largely remained quiet or critical of the operation.
During a White House meeting with Ms. Takaichi, Mr. Trump said that he’s been pleased with the backing from Japan.
“We have tremendous support and relationship with Japan on everything,” Mr. Trump said. “And I believe … they are really stepping up to the plate.”
“Unlike NATO,” Mr. Trump added in a quick aside.
The president said that Japan should step up, hinting that the U.S. is Japan’s only defensive ally, but noted that he’s prepared to do this without help from allies.
“I expect Japan to step up because, you know, we have the kind of relationship and we step for Japan. We have 45,000 soldiers in Japan. We don’t need anything from Japan or from anyone else,” he said.
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Mr. Trump’s remarks came hours after a group of European nations and Japan issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s attacks on oil tankers and other commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closing the waterway that transports 20% of the world’s oil.
The statement from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan declared their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts” to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
The countries also said they “condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.”
Mr. Trump has been repeatedly critical of the NATO alliance for not fully supporting the joint Israel-U.S. military operations in Iran, telling reporters that the 32-nation defensive alliance is “making a very foolish mistake.”
He later told Ms. Takaichi that he expected Japan to “step up” in keeping open the Strait of Hormuz, noting the country’s reliance on foreign oil imports.
“And then in the case of NATO, they don’t want to help us defend the Strait, and they’re the ones that need it,” Mr. Trump said. “But now they’re getting much nicer, because they’re seeing my attitude … but as far as I’m concerned, it’s too late.”
Before departing for Washington, Ms. Takaichi told Japanese lawmakers that she will “clearly explain” to Mr. Trump “what we can do and cannot do based on the Japanese law.”
Japan’s unique legal system determines what the country can do when it comes to becoming involved in international disputes, and its constitution forbids waging war as a means of settling disputes.
The Iran war is deeply unpopular in her country. A recent poll in the Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun shows 82% of Japanese do not support the war, and more than 50% are not satisfied with Ms. Takaichi’s reluctance to speak out about it.
