Japan’s Takaichi Visits Trump as Hormuz Warship Standoff Simmers

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichifaces a diplomatic balancing act at a summit this week with Donald Trump,after the US president called on Japan to deploy warships to help secure the war-stricken Strait of Hormuz — before abruptly dropping the demand.

Takaichi’s first trip to Washington on Thursday since winning a sweeping mandatehas been viewed by Tokyo as an opportunity to showcase the strength of the US-Japan alliance, despite challenges over trade. Perhaps more importantly, it was a chance to gain the president’s ear before his meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Instead, a showdown over Iran is ...