Japan has pressed Iran to restore free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran says it will work to let Japan-linked ships move through the waterway more smoothly.
The new phone call between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian gives the Iran crisis a fresh maritime angle: one of Asia’s most energy-dependent economies is no longer just watching the Hormuz standoff from the outside. Tokyo is now directly asking Tehran for safer passage through the chokepoint that carries a large share of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas.
The Straits Times, citing Kyodo News, reported that Takaichi called for the free and safe passage of ships through the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz during the June 1 call. Pezeshkian told her Iran would strive to ensure Japanese ships transit smoothly and with greater ease, according to the report.
Japan Wants Safe Passage for More Than Its Own Ships
Takaichi said after the call that she urged safe passage to be realized as soon as possible for vessels from all countries, including Japan and other Asian countries, The Straits Times reported. She also said Japan strongly hopes Iran will show the greatest possible flexibility so an agreement can be reached quickly.
That matters because Japan’s economy is acutely exposed to Middle East energy flows. The Strait of Hormuz is the short maritime corridor between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. When traffic through it slows, stalls, or becomes subject to special permission, the cost reaches far beyond the Gulf.
Japan has already seen some Japan-connected vessels pass through the strait. The Straits Times reported that a tanker operated by a unit of Idemitsu Kosan arrived in Japan on May 25, becoming the first such arrival since the conflict began. But the broader picture remains fragile, with shipping firms, insurers, and energy buyers still watching whether Iran’s rules will produce predictable passage or more uncertainty.
Iran Says It Will Follow Up on Japan-Linked Vessels
The official Iranian presidency readout described the call as focused on diplomacy, maritime security, and international shipping lanes, especially Hormuz. According to the Iranian presidency, Pezeshkian said Iran is prepared to facilitate maritime transit and help secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The same readout said Pezeshkian would seriously follow up on vessels linked to Japan and would seek to ensure Japanese ships can pass through the strait more smoothly and without disruption. It also said Takaichi welcomed the successful transit of Japanese vessels and hoped all ships could pass with greater speed, security, and ease.
Iran’s version also blamed the United States for restrictions and obstacles on Iranian shipping and commerce, while criticizing Israeli operations and ceasefire violations in Lebanon. Those claims fit Tehran’s broader position in the crisis: it wants to present Hormuz as a security issue it can manage, while arguing that U.S. pressure is the real source of disruption.
The Energy Risk Is Still Global
The Japan call comes as energy markets remain sensitive to any sign that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire could fail. Associated Press reported that oil prices rose after the latest fighting threatened the ceasefire, with Brent crude moving more than 4% higher even as Wall Street remained relatively calm.
For Japan and other Asian importers, the risk is not only a single price spike. It is the possibility that a core energy route becomes conditional on permissions, side arrangements, escorts, or diplomatic exceptions. That would make planning harder for refiners, utilities, shipping companies, and governments trying to keep fuel supplies stable.
The new Japan-Iran call does not mean Hormuz is fully reopened. It does show that Tehran is offering a narrower assurance to Tokyo at the same time broader U.S.-Iran talks remain unsettled. If that assurance holds, Japan-linked vessels may keep moving. If it fails, the crisis will look less like a temporary blockage and more like a new permission-based system for one of the world’s most important sea lanes.