The Japanese government said it was not involved in negotiations over the passage of a Japan-linked vessel through the Strait of Hormuz — the first such transit since the outbreak of war with Iran.
According to the Asahi Shimbun on Friday, the destination of the "Soha LNG," a Panama-flagged LNG carrier operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines that left the Gulf (Persian Gulf) and passed through the Strait of Hormuz the previous day, was confirmed to not be Japan. A Japanese government official said, "The Japanese government was not involved in negotiations regarding the vessel's route."
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said it confirmed the safety of the crew after the vessel's passage through the strait. However, the company declined to comment on specifics such as the circumstances of the transit.
Prior to this, 45 Japan-linked vessels had remained anchored in the Gulf, unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Iran war. Kyodo News, citing the Japanese Shipowners' Association, reported that the number of Japan-linked vessels anchored in the area decreased to 44 following the LNG carrier's departure.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council again postponed action on a resolution authorizing the use of force to lift the Strait of Hormuz blockade. According to Reuters on Saturday (local time), the Security Council pushed back the vote on the resolution to next week. This marks the second delay, after the vote was initially postponed from the 3rd to the 4th. The resolution would allow member states to use "all necessary defensive measures" for a set period to secure freedom of navigation through the strait and counter any attempts to block it, including through multinational naval cooperation.