Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Takaichi raised the issue as the vital shipping route remains effectively closed amid stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran, disrupting a major artery for global energy supplies.
Speaking to reporters at her office in Tokyo on Wednesday, Takaichi said she emphasised the need to avoid imposing fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
She also expressed Japan’s “deep concern” over the security situation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, located on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula, and urged Pezeshkian to press Yemen’s Houthi rebels to exercise restraint.
The Houthis, who are aligned with Tehran, declared a “maritime blockade” in July targeting Saudi Arabian vessels.
Yemeni authorities said the group carried out a deadly attack on a cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday. The waterway has become increasingly important as an alternative route for crude oil shipments amid the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest conversation marked the first phone call between Takaichi and Pezeshkian since June and their fourth discussion since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.
Japan is a close ally of the United States but has traditionally maintained relatively friendly relations with Iran.
The developments have heightened concerns over the safety of international shipping routes in the region, with disruptions around both straits potentially affecting global energy supplies and trade.
