President Donald Trump said that Japan declined to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a day after he made a joke about Pearl Harbor during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Trump told Fox News host Martha MacCallum on Friday that Japan will not get involved, yet clarified, "Japan is a better ally than NATO."
Japan's constitution prohibits the use of force, except in defense of its territory. Though it stands unclear whether the Japanese Self-Defense Force could be used to escort ships through the Middle Eastern waterway.
During his meeting with Takaichi, Trump compared his strikes on Iran to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
"We didn't tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor, OK?" Trump joked.
Watch the video below.