Good News, Japanese Tanker Successfully Passes Hormuz Strait Without Toll Fees

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Thursday confirmed that a Japanese-related ship had successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz safely.

At a press conference on the same day, Eneos Holdings Inc. President Tomohide Miyata said the tanker operated by the oil refiner had left the strait.

Motegi explained to reporters that no toll was paid to the Iranians for the ship to pass, which is known to have carried four Japanese crew members.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry in its press release added that the government had "directly asked the Iranians on every occasion" to facilitate a transit route for the ships.

Until now, there are still 39 other Japanese-related ships in the Persian Gulf region.

Previously, an oil tanker operated by an affiliate of Idemitsu Kosan Co. was also confirmed to have transited the strait, following tensions after the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28.