Japan Urges Inclusive Diplomacy to Resolve Strait of Hormuz Crisis and Protect Energy Supplies

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated on Wednesday that negotiations aimed at resolving restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz must encompass regional nations, dependent countries, and the International Maritime Organisation. Ms Takaichi emphasized the necessity of restoring free and safe navigation without extra fees, a matter of vital concern for Japan, given that normal-time tankers through the strait transport about 93 per cent of the country's imported crude oil, according to its Economy Ministry.

“The situation in the Middle East has been growing increasingly tense, and free and safe navigation is increasingly under challenge in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an international public good,” Ms Takaichi noted while answering a question from The National at an event beside the UN General Assembly. She added that Japan continues diplomatic engagement with the international community to quickly de-escalate tensions across the region.

Meanwhile, the US and Iran face mounting pressure for a diplomatic resolution. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian informed member states that Tehran remains prepared for dialogue and negotiations without accepting coercion, whereas US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned to reporters in New York that President Donald Trump retains multiple options, including military ones. Middle Eastern sources revealed that Iran recently provided the US with a conflict-resolution road map featuring a regionwide ceasefire, the phased reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports, following meetings between US and Iranian officials in New York.

As a crucial energy corridor handling roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products daily prior to the conflict, disruptions in the strait have heavily impacted global energy supplies. Ms Takaichi stressed that Japan will maintain direct communications with Iran and other nations through leadership meetings and telephone calls while proactively securing alternative oil supplies and proposing safe maritime corridors through the IMO.