Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Poladova

Read more

Tokyo and Riyadh have agreed to establish an alternative crude oil supply route that would bypass the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical and vulnerable maritime chokepoints, AzerNEWS reports.

The agreement was reported by Kyodo News, citing Japanese government sources.

In a phone call on Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to request further support in securing stable crude oil supplies for Japan.

Tokyo also expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s continued delivery of crude oil to Japan via the Red Sea route, following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to coordinating efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions in the Middle East as quickly as possible.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman responded that Saudi Arabia is committed to ensuring stable energy supplies to global markets, including Japan, and intends to respond positively to requests for cooperation.

Earlier, local media also reported that the Japanese government is confident in its ability to fully meet the country’s domestic oil needs at least until the end of this year. It was emphasized that this will be possible due to a combination of alternative oil supply routes and the release of some strategic reserves.

On March 16, oil from Japan's strategic reserves began entering the market in volumes sufficient to meet the country's needs for 45 days.

Image: iStock/PeterHermesFurian