Explainer: Japan's Abe faces headache from U.S. plan for Mideast maritime coalition

FILE PHOTO: Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is also ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader, attends a debate session with other party leaders ahead of July 21 upper house election at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Japan July 3, 2019. REUTERS/Issei Kato

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces a tough diplomatic challenge from an expected U.S. request to send its navy to join a military coalition to safeguard strategic waters off Iran and Yemen.

Japanese officials will attend a briefing in Washington on the proposal, a government spokesman said on Thursday, and it could be on the agenda when U.S. national security adviser John Bolton visits Tokyo next week, domestic media said.