Russian Media: Middle East Conflict Highlights Japan's Vulnerable Position

According to a report by Reference News Network on March 27, TASS reported on March 22 that the military actions initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28 are directly or indirectly affecting the internal politics and economic situation of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The Japanese government is making every effort to avoid making a clear moral and legal statement regarding the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his cabinet members have neither publicly supported nor condemned this military action, merely using phrases like "the top priority is to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in the Middle East" to deflect the issue.

This position of the Japanese government is not difficult to understand: the war launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran is very unpopular domestically in Japan.

A poll released by Asahi Shimbun on March 16 showed that over 82% of the Japanese public opposes this military action, with only 9% expressing support.

However, at the same time, the Japanese government cannot possibly oppose the Trump administration. Tokyo is highly dependent on the U.S. in the security field and is currently engaged in difficult trade negotiations with the U.S. The current occupant of the White House's style of governance and willingness to impose tariffs to punish even the closest allies is already well known.

A poll conducted by Kyodo News in early March showed that half of the respondents support the government's avoidance of legally characterizing the actions against Iran. However, nearly 43% criticized the government's stance as weak. This indicates a clear division in public opinion in Japan, a reality that the Tokyo government cannot ignore. Some opposition party members have openly pointed out that preemptive strikes against other countries are illegal actions.

Japan's situation is particularly vulnerable: over 90% of the country's oil depends on supplies from the Middle East, a significant portion of which must pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively blocked. Currently, more than 40 Japanese oil tankers, container ships, and bulk carriers are stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to enter the Indian Ocean.

Gasoline prices in Japan have risen for two consecutive weeks, reaching a nearly three-month high in mid-March. The increase in gasoline prices is driving up transportation costs, leading to price hikes in other goods. The government has promised to provide subsidies to gasoline wholesalers to curb prices, but this move has limited scope—Japan is already facing a huge fiscal deficit and can only rely on issuing government bonds to maintain operations. (Translated by Zhao Zhipeng)