Even if the oil tanker is stuck in the bay, Japan does not plan to release its oil reserves.

A Japanese government spokesperson said on Monday that, despite some oil tankers bound for Japan being stuck in the Gulf region due to conflicts with Iran, the Japanese government has no intention of releasing any oil from its reserves. Around 95% of Japan's oil supply comes from the Middle East, mainly from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. About 70% of this oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. Under normal circumstances, oil tankers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait transport daily volumes equivalent to one-fifth of global demand, mainly to buyers in Asia, along with liquefied natural gas tankers from Qatar, the world's second-largest producer of LNG. However, Japanese shipping companies began suspending operations near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend after the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. "Some crude oil tankers from the Middle East bound for Japan are waiting in the Persian Gulf to avoid passing through the Strait of Hormuz," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga at a press briefing. He added that Japan has no immediate plans to release its oil reserves, as it is one of the world's largest oil reserve countries. Japan holds reserves equivalent to 254 days of net imports of oil and has released these reserves in the past to stabilize the global oil market, most recently coordinating with the International Energy Agency and other organizations in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. An official from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry said on Monday that there have been no requests for international coordination regarding the release of reserves so far.