ISTANBUL

Japan on Tuesday established a new international peace mediation unit as the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran entered its third week, the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry said the unit will “further strengthen its active and flexible engagement in peace mediation efforts.”

Without directly referring to the ongoing conflict, the ministry stressed the need for early resolution of disputes and support for ceasefires.

Tensions in the Middle East have surged since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, followed by retaliatory attacks by Tehran.

Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas shipments, contributing to rising energy prices.

Japan’s move comes as US President Donald Trump has urged allies, including Tokyo, to deploy warships to the Middle East to keep the waterway open.

Japan has said it has received no official request for such a deployment.

The world’s fourth-largest economy and a US ally imports up to 90% of its energy from the Middle East, making it highly vulnerable to supply disruptions.

European countries have rejected US calls to deploy naval forces and no country has publicly committed to the plan.

A US Navy warship, the USS Tripoli, is approaching the Malacca Strait carrying troops from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, a rapid-response force of about 2,200 personnel, CNN reported.

To cushion the economic impact of rising energy costs, Japan on Monday began releasing up to 15 days’ worth of oil reserves to ease potential price spikes.

“As the international environment becomes increasingly severe and conflicts continue to emerge across the globe, the imperative of preventing disputes before they arise and supporting early resolution ... has become ever more pronounced,” the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

Amid the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a Japanese vessel sailing through the region was hit by a projectile last week.