Japan says safety of ships in hormuz is a matter of 'life and death'.

• Position: Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga - Brief article

Japan sees ensuring the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as a matter of life and death in terms of its energy security, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. Suga was responding Tuesday to a question about President Donald Trump's tweet that said nations heavily dependent on fuel exports from the Middle East - including China and Japan - should defend their own ships rather than relying on the US.

The Trump administration has blamed Iran for recent attacks on oil tankers near the Persian Gulf, though Iran denies it. In a call with reporters Monday, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo's envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, said more than...