The Argument is a new feature dedicated to promoting dialogue and deeper understanding of contentious issues by introducing various viewpoints.
The government's plan to send the Self-Defense Forces to the Middle East is crucial for securing our economic interests, promoting regional peace and stability, and pursuing balanced diplomacy in the region.
Japan imports 80 percent of its crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil suppliers to markets in the rest of the world. The area around the strait — which lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman — is also a flashpoint. This was made all too clear in the attacks on two oil tankers, including one operated by a Japanese shipping firm, on June 13, the day Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although the attack took place far from Japan, it threatened our peace and prosperity.