"Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday that her government is taking 'necessary measures' to protect Japanese cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but ruled out sending naval vessels to escort them for now. Speaking during a parliamentary session, Takaichi said Tokyo was still assessing what steps it could take within its legal framework. "At this time, we are not considering dispatching the Self-Defence Forces. And most importantly, as I have repeatedly mentioned, we must make every effort to calm the situation, including diplomatic efforts," she said. It came after Donald Trump urged NATO allies and Asian partners to help protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, warning of 'very bad' consequences for countries that refused to 'share the burden'. Takaichi said Japan was carefully weighing its options while also engaging diplomatically with Iran in an effort to ease tensions. "This isn't something requested by the United States; rather, we've been seriously discussing for the past few days what Japan should do independently," she added. In the past, Japan’s Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force has carried out anti-piracy operations in waters near the Middle East. However, Japan’s constitution places strict limits on overseas military deployments, allowing them primarily in response to threats to the country’s security. Trump’s appeal to allies comes as Takaichi is expected to travel to Washington, DC later this week for talks on the regional conflict. The strategic waterway, which normally carries around 20 percent of global oil shipments, has been severely disrupted amid the conflict, contributing to surging energy prices and raising fears of economic fallout. The current escalation began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran. Tehran later responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli territory and US military assets across the region, with explosions reported in several Gulf countries."