A ship of the Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines left the Strait of Hormuz, which had been blockaded by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According to reports by NHK and other Japanese media on the 3rd, Sohar LNG, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, passed through the Strait of Hormuz that day.
The vessel was the first Japanese ship to exit the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. and Israel's invasion of Iran on Feb. 28, and it transited the strait after 7 a.m. that day.
Kaneko Yasushi, Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, said that as of 7 a.m. that day, there were 45 Japanese ships staying inside the Strait of Hormuz (in the Persian Gulf), as before.
Sohar LNG's vessel, crew, and others were reported to be unharmed. However, the circumstances under which the ship left the strait and its destination were not disclosed.
Japan asked Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the 17th of last month to ensure the safety of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and three days later, after consultations, Minister Araghchi said he was willing to allow the passage of Japanese ships.
Although the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively blockaded since the outbreak of war, some Greek ships and vessels related to friendly countries such as China, India, and Türkiye are passing through.
According to Bloomberg News, the container ship Kribi of French shipping company CMA CGM, which departed waters near the United Arab Emirates (UAE), also passed through the strait on the 2nd.
However, 26 Korea-flagged ships and 175 Korean crew members remain stranded in the Persian Gulf.