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6d ago

Japan Presses Iran to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz Shipping

The pledge signals Japan's reliance on direct negotiation to protect vital oil routes through a vulnerable Gulf chokepoint.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to media after Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning, saying it expected tsunami waves of up to 3 meters to reach large coastal areas in northern Japan after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 struck off the northeastern coast of Japan, at her official residence in Tokyo, Japan April 20, 2026, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN.

Overview

  • Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday, vowed to keep using diplomacy to ensure ships can pass the Strait of Hormuz.
  • She said she personally appealed to Pezeshkian for a Japanese-linked vessel's safe transit and coordinated efforts with the foreign minister and Japan's embassy.
  • A crude tanker owned by Idemitsu Tanker has sailed through the waterway, which Takaichi called a positive step for the safety of Japanese nationals.
  • The Japan Times characterized parts of the strait as effectively under a blockade, a description that underscores ongoing risks without quantifying how much traffic is restricted.
  • The Strait of Hormuz handles a large share of the world's seaborne oil, so restoring predictable passage affects crews at sea and energy importers like Japan that depend on steady flows.