Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed his welcome on the 15th for the agreement between the United States and Iran to conclude a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at ending the war on the 14th (local time) and called for ensuring free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Prime Minister Takaichi announced this in a post on his X (old Twitter) after the news of the agreement to end the war was announced.
He said, "So far, we have made diplomatic efforts believing that it is most important to calm the situation as soon as possible. From this perspective, we welcome the memorandum agreement as a big step toward converging the situation."
He evaluated, “This is the result of persistent negotiations between the parties aiming for a diplomatic solution, as well as the efforts of the parties involved who have acted as intermediaries so far.”
Prime Minister Takaichi said that the previous agreement should be realized and free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz should be secured as soon as possible, adding, "At the same time, I strongly expect that a final agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue will be realized as soon as possible."
Prime Minister Takaichi, who is visiting Rome, Italy on this day, once again welcomed the signing of the MOU to reporters and emphasized that "Japan, as the only country exposed to war, is opposed to Iran's nuclear development."
At a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer the day before, he said, "We confirmed that we will cooperate to resolve the situation surrounding Iran," and added, "I plan to meet with Italian Prime Minister (Giorza) Meloni today, and I also want to discuss this important issue."
In addition, regarding the joint statement issued by four countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy, regarding this agreement, he said, "Japan was also asked to participate last night, so we decided to participate."
Previously, the leaders of these four countries issued a joint statement, saying, "Iran should never acquire nuclear weapons, and we are ready to cooperate with the United States, Iran, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to achieve this," and emphasized that they were prepared to lift sanctions against Iran if Iran takes steps related to its nuclear program.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi issued a statement regarding the end-of-war agreement and said, "We will continue to closely engage with the international community and make all diplomatic efforts to realize peace and stability in the entire Middle East region."
An official from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Kyodo News that they welcomed the agreement, but emphasized that they should keep an eye on the progress of peace implementation in the future.
He said, "I'm glad that the fighting is ending, even if temporarily, but we have to be careful whether we can take steps (to agree) and move steadily toward peace."
Another Foreign Ministry official commented, “The future focus will be on how the United States will suppress Israel, which continues to attack pro-Iran militia organizations in Lebanon.”
U.S. President Donald Trump posted on the social media platform TruthSocial at around 5:30 p.m. Eastern time on the 14th, saying, “The agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran has now been finalized.”
Reuters and AFP reported that Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also said in a TV interview that the war with the United States "has been declared permanently and immediately ended on all fronts, including Lebanon."
Meanwhile, the Japanese government stated that "nothing has been decided" regarding the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to ensure the safety of the Strait of Hormuz.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, a spokesperson for the Japanese government, was asked at a press conference today about the response plan if Japan receives a request at the G7 meeting or other places regarding the removal of mines in the Strait of Hormuz. He replied, "It is difficult to predict the future situation, including discussions at the G7 summit, but no decision has been made regarding the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces." (Reporting Assistant: Correspondent Kim Ji-su)
