Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi considers holding talks with Iran

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on March 30 that she will consider holding talks with the Iranian leadership at an "appropriate" time based on the national interest as tensions remain high in the Middle East.

"I will judge the appropriate timing for holding talks based on the national interest from a comprehensive standpoint," Takaichi told a session of the House of Representatives' Budget Committee, Japan Today reports.

Since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran late last month, Tokyo has sought to strike a delicate balance between maintaining its security alliance with Washington and its traditionally friendly relations with Tehran.

Stability in the Middle East is vital for Japan, which relies on the region for over 90 per cent of its crude oil imports.

Most of them pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy shipments. But Iran has effectively blocked the strait, fueling oil supply concerns and triggering soaring prices.

Japan has condemned Iran's de facto closure of the strait, as well as its attacks on other Middle Eastern states made in response to the U.S.-Israeli strikes. The Iranian attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to oil and other infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Takaichi's government has made no legal assessment of the U.S. military operations against Iran, but she has shown her support for U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him "the only person who can bring peace and prosperity across the world" at their summit in Washington on March 19.