US President Donald Trump told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that he expects Japan to “step up” to help secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israel-led war against Iran.
However, at a press conference held in the Oval Office on Thursday, reporters pressed on why the Trump administration had not informed America’s allies like Japan in advance of its plans to attack Iran.
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President Trump responded sarcastically to the Japanese military’s surprise attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor during World War II.
“We wanted a surprise. Who knows more about surprises than Japan? Why didn’t you tell us about Pearl Harbor?” Trump asked an uncomfortable Takaichi.
Trump added: “I think you believe in surprises more than we do.”
It was a notable moment in a brief Oval Office media appearance for the two leaders, who are expected to discuss trade and global security.
Takaichi is one of the few leaders to visit the White House since the war with Iran began, and was one of the first to meet with President Trump after he pushed for the formation of a coalition of allies to defend the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
The strait is an important artery for oil trade, with almost a fifth of the world’s supplies passing through this narrow waterway. However, Iran has largely blocked traffic through the strait, causing global oil prices to soar.
In his opening remarks, Takaichi condemned “Iran’s actions, including attacks on neighboring regions and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”
But she also hinted at concerns about the war overall, pointing to the “harsh security environment” it had created and the expected economic impact.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Takaichi mentioned the war and said, “The world economy is about to suffer a major blow from this development.” “But even with that background, I strongly believe that you, Donald, are the only ones who can bring about peace in the world.”
The meeting between the two leaders came as President Trump continues to insist that Iran is on the brink of defeat, even as the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure across the region have constrained global energy markets.
President Trump said of the war effort, “If we wanted to, we could end it in two seconds.” “But we are acting very cautiously.”
Before the meeting with President Trump, Japan and five European countries said they would consider “appropriate efforts” to reopen the strait. It is unclear what such an effort would look like in practice.
Japan is further restricted by the 1947 Constitution imposed by the United States after World War II.
It establishes Japan as a pacifist nation and includes a pledge not only to “reject the threat or use of force” but also to “renounce war.”
Still, President Trump praised Takaichi and suggested he had had promising conversations with Japan’s leadership behind closed doors.
“We have had tremendous support and a great relationship with Japan on all fronts,” President Trump said. “And based on the statements that were given to us yesterday and the day before yesterday in relation to Japan, we believe that they are taking it seriously.”
Trump then quipped that Japan was offering aid “unlike NATO.”
President Trump has made contradictory statements regarding the Strait. He has said in various public appearances that shipping is safe and that it is possible for the United States to retake the straits on its own.
“We don’t need much. We don’t need anything,” President Trump said Thursday. “We don’t need anything from Japan or anyone else. But I think it’s appropriate for people to step up.”
But President Trump appeared to undermine his own remarks over the weekend when he told reporters he had asked for help.
President Trump said on Air Force One, “I wish other countries would guard the strait.” “We’re asking these countries to come in and defend their territory, because that’s their territory. That’s where they get their energy.”
He stressed at a press conference Thursday that other countries, including Japan, receive more oil and natural gas supplies through the strait than the United States.
Therefore, he argued, it was the responsibility of other countries to secure the straits.
“That country is on the verge of collapse,” President Trump said of Iran on Thursday. “The only thing is straight. It’s very difficult. It takes two people to drop little bombs in the water and they’re holding things up.”
Asian countries are expected to be hit hardest by soaring energy prices, and President Trump reiterated during the meeting that he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch any further attacks on Iranian energy facilities.
On Wednesday, Israel’s attack on the South Pars gas field prompted Iran’s retaliatory attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan natural gas facility, which accounts for about 20 percent of the world’s liquid natural gas supplies.
Asked if he intended to put on American boots to ensure safety in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said he had no plans to do so, but would not reveal to reporters whether he would do so.
