TOKYO - ENEOS Holdings announced that a tanker operated by one of its group companies has successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.
“We have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, exited the danger zone, and resumed our voyage toward Japan,” ENEOS Holdings President Tomohide Miyata said. “We are extremely pleased.”
The tanker is believed to be carrying around 2 million barrels of crude oil from the Middle East, equivalent to roughly one day of Japan’s oil consumption. The vessel is expected to arrive in Japan between the end of May and early June.
ENEOS said the health condition of the four Japanese crew members aboard the tanker is “completely fine.”
The successful passage marks the second Japan-bound tanker to transit the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened regional tensions. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has reportedly made direct appeals to the Iranian president regarding the passage of Japanese-linked vessels, while the government has also revealed that no transit fees have been paid.
Despite the latest development, around 39 Japan-related vessels are still believed to be stranded in the Strait of Hormuz region.
Japan remains one of the world’s largest crude oil importers despite decades of declining energy demand and improvements in efficiency. The country consumes roughly 3 million to 3.5 million barrels of oil per day, although the figure fluctuates depending on industrial activity, seasonal demand, and refinery operations. The 2 million barrels aboard the ENEOS tanker therefore represent close to a full day of Japan’s crude oil requirements.
Unlike major energy producers such as the United States or Saudi Arabia, Japan has almost no significant domestic crude oil reserves and depends heavily on imports. Around 90% of Japan’s crude oil imports originate from the Middle East, making the Strait of Hormuz one of the country’s most strategically important shipping routes.
The dependence has shaped Japanese foreign policy and energy security strategy for decades. Since the oil shocks of the 1970s, Japan has built large strategic petroleum reserves and encouraged diversification into liquefied natural gas, nuclear energy, renewables, and energy-saving technologies. Even so, crude oil remains essential for transportation, petrochemicals, plastics manufacturing, aviation fuel, and industrial production.
Japan’s overall oil consumption has gradually declined from its peak in the 1990s due to an aging population, fuel-efficient vehicles, and slower economic growth. However, the country still ranks among Asia’s major energy consumers alongside China, India, and South Korea.
Any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz can quickly raise concerns in Japan because roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the narrow waterway. Japanese refiners and shipping companies closely monitor tanker movements there, particularly during periods of heightened tensions involving Iran and neighboring Gulf states.
Source: TBS
