Various internal and external factors have prompted Japan to keep its involvement profile in the Middle East as low as possible for the past four decades.
Since the eruption of the first oil crisis in 1973, Japan has feared negative consequences from any explicit political engagement in the region.
For a country that imports 99 percent of its oil — 90 percent of which comes from the Middle East — any risk that may affect its main source of energy must be diminished.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.