Iran is ready to let Japanese-related vessels pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies, Kyodo news reported, citing Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Tehran has started talks with Tokyo about possibly opening the Strait, Araghchi told the Japanese news agency in a phone interview on Friday.
Japan's foreign and trade ministries and the Prime Minister's Office did not pick up calls from Reuters on Saturday seeking comment on the report.
Japan gets around 90% of its oil shipments via the strait, which Tehran has largely closed during the US-Israeli war on Iran. A spike in global oil prices sparked by the war, which enters its fourth week on Saturday, has prompted Japan and other countries to release oil from their reserves.
Trump presses Japan to "step up"
US President Donald Trump met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday, urging her to "step up" as he presses allies - so far unsuccessfully - to send warships to help open the strait.
Takaichi told reporters after the Washington summit that she had briefed Trump on what support Japan could and could not provide in the strait under its laws.
Japan's actions are limited under its postwar pacifist constitution, but 2015 security legislation allows Japan to use force overseas if an attack, including on a close security partner, threatens Japan's survival and no other means are available to address it.
Japan, 21 other countries condemn closure of Strait of Hormuz
On Saturday, Japan released a joint statement with the leadership of 21 other countries condemning the Iranian regime’s attacks on and closure of the Strait of Hormuz, demanding that Iran cease threats immediately.
The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Romania, Bahrain, Lithuania, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates all joined Japan in the statement.
They urged Iran to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, which condemns Iran’s attacks, specifically those against civilian infrastructure and maritime trade.