This archive report was first published on 27 December 2019.
On December 27, 2019, Japan announced plans to send a military vessel and two patrol planes to the Middle East to help protect waterways in the region.
The move comes after a series of attacks on tankers in the Gulf, including a Japanese tanker, and on Saudi Arabian oil installations.
Washington, other Western states, and Saudi Arabia blame the attacks on Tehran, which denies any involvement.
Japan's decision is aimed at ensuring the safety of Japan-related vessels, particularly given that 90 percent of crude oil Tokyo imports comes from the region.
Japan's patrol activities will not be deployed in the Strait of Hormuz, where the US-led coalition operates, but will instead operate in the high seas in the Gulf of Oman, the northern Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
