JAPAN and Australia have pushed back against United States President Donald Trump’s call for an international naval coalition to secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The two nations said they had no plans to deploy warships to escort commercial vessels through the vital oil transit route.
Trump had urged major energy-importing nations to help reopen the waterway amid escalating tensions from the Iran–Israel conflict, which has rattled global energy markets and heightened fears over Middle East oil supplies, as nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil shipments pass through the narrow maritime corridor.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on the way from Florida to Washington, Trump said countries that relied heavily on Gulf oil should take responsibility for safeguarding the route.
“I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory. It’s the place from which they get their energy,” he said.
However, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tokyo had made no decision to send naval escorts, citing constitutional limits on military deployments despite the country sourcing about 95 per cent of its oil from the Middle East.
“We have not made any decisions whatsoever about dispatching escort ships. We are continuing to examine what Japan can do independently and what can be done within the legal framework,” Takaichi told parliament.
Similarly, Australia ruled out contributing naval forces, as the Transport Minister, Catherine King said Canberra recognised the strait’s importance but had neither been formally asked nor planned to take part in such an operation.
“We know how incredibly important that is, but that’s not something that we’ve been asked or that we’re contributing to,” King, a member of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s cabinet, said in an interview with state broadcaster ABC.
The hesitation from two key Indo-Pacific partners underscores the diplomatic challenge facing Washington as it seeks broader support to stabilise the chokepoint.
Trump also intensified pressure on European allies to help safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the future of NATO could be “very bad” if member states fail to support Washington’s efforts.
Trump said the United States had contacted several countries including China, France, South Korea and the United Kingdom urging them to participate.
He told the Financial Times on Sunday that he expected China to play a role in reopening the Strait of Hormuz ahead of his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this month, warning that the trip could be postponed if Beijing failed to offer support.
However, the European governments are weighing whether to strengthen an existing maritime mission in the region, though diplomats say there is no immediate decision to extend operations into the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Reuters, a Downing Street spokesperson said on Sunday that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had discussed the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, while South Korea said it would carefully consider Washington’s request for support.
The standoff between US-Israel and Iran has already unsettled markets as oil prices climbed above $104 per barrel, while Asian equities slipped amid concerns over potential disruptions to Middle East energy infrastructure.
Similarly, the conflict, which has lasted for over two weeks, has disrupted regional aviation hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, forcing widespread flight cancellations and raising concerns about jet fuel supplies across parts of Asia.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed claims that Tehran was seeking negotiations, saying the country remained prepared to defend itself “for as long as it takes.”
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.