Strait of Hormuz crisis: Japan's US-made constitution bars it from sending warship to help Trump. All about 1947 'pacifist constitution'

US President Donald Trump recently called for naval participation from its allies, including Japan, in the Strait of Hormuz to ensure maritime security. While Japan relies heavily on the US security umbrella, particularly regarding regional tensions with China, North Korea, and Russia, acting on the American president's request has significant legal and diplomatic challenges.

The Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s upcoming visit to Washington could be seen as pressure to demonstrate "enthusiasm" for the alliance. But the Japanese government faces a high legal threshold for deploying the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) into potential conflict zones. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has remained cautious, noting that any such mission would require strict parliamentary approval and a clear "self-defence" justification.

Beyond legal hurdles, Japan maintains a long-standing diplomatic relationship with Iran, which it seeks to preserve. To support the US without entering direct combat, Japan may consider alternative contributions, such as:

1. Post-conflict minesweeping: Similar to its 1991 mission following the Gulf War.
2. Logistical support: Expanding industrial and defence cooperation to bolster shared stockpiles.

About Japan's 1947 'Pacifist' constitution, written by US

The 1947 "Pacifist" constitution, enacted during the post-World War II Allied occupation and largely drafted by American officials, is the cornerstone of the nation's post-war identity, specifically in the Constitution of Japan, Article 9. It says that the Japanese people "forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes."

To accomplish this, the article further specifies that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained."

Over the decades, this has been interpreted not as a total ban on defence, but as a mandate that the military (the Self-Defence Forces) exist only for "minimum necessary" protection. While recent legislative reinterpretations have allowed for "collective self-defence" (aiding an ally under specific conditions), the 1947 framework continues to limit Japan’s ability to engage in overseas military operations that do not directly threaten Japanese sovereignty.

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