Transit through the Strait is increasingly shaped by the interaction of military, commercial, diplomatic and legal factors.

Japan’s experience highlights that supply chain competition is not only about access to critical minerals but also about the industrial capacity to process and distribute them.

Competition is not only about hard power and armed forces but also about ensuring countries have the industrial base to sustain military power. Strategic competition is becoming noticeably about resources, supply chains, manufacturing, and energy security that underpin military power.

The Strait has traditionally been viewed as a chokepoint primarily under Iranian control. Recent shipping data and reports suggest commercial vessels are using different routes, shifting the focus from whether vessels can transit to how the Strait is functioning.

Critical minerals are increasingly being viewed as strategic resources linked to industrial, economic, and national security interests.