Japan has approved a one-year extension of its navy mission in the Middle East to protect the country’s oil shipments.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force will continue to operate in the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden until 26 December, 2021, the Japanese defence ministry said.
Kyoto News reported defence minister Nobuo Kishi said on Friday: “Shipping industry groups have expressed their further expectations and appreciation for the SDF [Self-Defense Force] activities."
“The conflict between the US and Iran remains unchanged," chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato said.
Japan — the world’s fifth-largest oil consumer — has so far imported 3.07m barrels per day (bpd) of crude and oil products this year, according to Kpler data.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Iraq have together supplied 2.45m bpd of them.
Japan in general imports crude on VLCCs and naphtha on LR product tankers from the Middle East.
Independent missions
Since late last year, Tokyo has deployed destroyers and P-3C patrol planes to the region to protect Japanese-owned ships and foreign vessels carrying oil to Japan.
Aside from piracy threats, geopolitical tensions in the region have been high since 2018 when the US reimposed sanctions on Iran.
Following several tanker attacks last year, the US formed the International Maritime Security Construct with the UK, Australia, Albania, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lithuania and the UAE to patrol the region.
Separately, France and seven other European nations have established the European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz task force to ensure the safe passage of vessels.
Japan, India and South Korea have their navies operating independently in the region in an apparent attempt not to draw ire from Iran.
However, there have been occasions where those national and multinational forces coordinate with each other when required.
In November, Japanese and French naval forces came to the aid of a seafarer injured aboard the 12,761-dwt chemical tanker Lourdes (built 2002) in the Gulf of Oman.
A medic from the Japanese destroyer Ariake provided immediate assistance on board the vessel, before coordinating with the French warship Jeab Bart to arrange a medical evacuation by Panther helicopter.
