Japan is considering demining the Strait of Hormuz

Japan could consider deploying its armed forces to mine in the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil supplies, if there is a ceasefire in the US-Israeli war against Iran, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Sunday.

"If there is a complete ceasefire, hypothetically speaking, then the issue of mine clearance could come up," Motegi said on a Fuji TV program. "It's purely hypothetical, but if there was a cease-fire and naval mines were an obstacle, I think that would be something that could be considered," he added.

Japan gets about 90 percent of its oil supplies through the strait, which Tehran has largely closed during the current conflict. The rise in global oil prices has prompted Japan and other countries to release oil from their reserves.

(reuters)