Overview
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Kyodo that Tehran is ready to permit Japanese-related vessels to pass and that talks with Tokyo have begun.
- Japan’s foreign and trade ministries and the Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to Reuters inquiries seeking confirmation of the report.
- The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed during the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran, and Japan receives roughly 90% of its oil shipments via the route.
- Oil price spikes linked to the conflict have prompted Japan and other countries to release barrels from strategic reserves.
- After a Washington meeting, President Donald Trump urged Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to send warships, and she cited legal limits despite a 2015 law allowing narrowly defined overseas force.