Does a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz constitute an "existential crisis" for Japan?

It is reported that Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is also a key chokepoint for energy imports to Japan. In the past, the Japanese government considered “mine-laying to block the strait” as an example of a “life-threatening crisis situation” that could justify the exercise of the right of collective self-defense. However, this time, it will carefully assess the situation.

At a press conference on March 2, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru said, “At this stage, it has not been recognized as a major impact situation and a life-threatening crisis situation under security-related laws.”

A life-threatening crisis situation is a concept stipulated in the security-related laws enacted in 2015 during the Shinzo Abe administration.

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The Japan Economic News Agency and the Financial Times merged in November 2015 to become the same media group. An alliance formed by two newspaper companies—one in Japan and one in the UK—both founded in the 19th century is pushing collaboration in broad areas such as joint special features under the banner of “high-quality, the most powerful economic journalism.” In this case, as part of that effort, article exchanges are taking place between the two newspapers’ Chinese-language websites.