Majority of Japanese Oppose Sending Warships to Middle East

A majority of Japanese people oppose sending warships to the Middle East in response to the war in Iran, according to two polls conducted over the weekend amid continued US pressure on allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

In a Yomiuri newspaper survey, 67% voiced opposition to sending the nation’s Self-Defense Forces to the region, while an ANN poll showed 52% against their deployment. The polls also showed that approval ratings for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet remain elevated, at 71% and 65.2% respectively, with a comfortable majority positively evaluating the outcome of Takaichi’s March 19 talks with US President Donald Trump.