More than 12 weeks after the start of the war with Iran, the first Japanese oil tanker to transit the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict arrived in Japan, on Monday (25).
The Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Idemitsu Maru docked at a pier near the city of Chita, in Honshu – Japan’s largest and most populous island – on Monday.
The ship’s arrival in Japan is “pleasant news in terms of ensuring a stable energy supply,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference on Monday.
Japan relies heavily on Persian Gulf oil and has released a historic amount of its vast strategic reserves for emergencies to soften the impact of rising oil prices in recent months.
There are still 39 vessels linked to Japan stuck in the gulf, including one with Japanese crew on board, Kihara said, adding that Japan is making every diplomatic effort so that its vessels can cross the strait.
The Idemitsu Maru tanker, operated by a subsidiary of major refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co., transported two million barrels of crude oil to Aichi Prefecture, the country’s industrial hub, to be refined into petroleum products, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing the company.
New attacks between the US and Iran
United States military, on Monday night (26), against missile launch sites and Iranian vessels around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media outlets classified the attacks as a violation of the current ceasefire agreement. Forces from Tehran and Washington had previously exchanged fire during the ceasefire.
The recent US strikes came as Iran’s chief negotiator and foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar’s prime minister on a possible deal with the US to end the three-month-old war, an official familiar with the visit said.
In a post on Truth Social on Monday (25), US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran were going “well”, but warned of further attacks if they failed. “There will only be one Big Deal for everyone or no deal at all,” he wrote.
The American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated this Tuesday (26) that negotiations for an agreement with Iran are being paralyzed due to differences over the wording of the document.
“For things to calm down… even the disagreements over a word, a phrase,” Rubio told reporters on his plane during a trip to India, echoing previous comments by American officials. “We’re going to have to resolve this.”
*with information from Reuters
