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Second Japan-linked oil tanker sails via Strait of Hormuz as PM asks Iran to help out

Daily Maverick · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · · 419 words · By Reuters
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What to know about Second Japan-linked oil tanker sails via Strait of Hormuz as PM asks Iran to help out

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has directly contacted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to allow for the transit of the ship, which has four Japanese crew members onboard, she said in a post on X.

Claims checked 12
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has directly contacted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to allow for the transit of the ship, which has four Japanese crew members onboard, she said in a post on X.

Why it matters

Before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran largely disrupted oil supplies via the Strait of Hormuz, Japan relied on the Gulf for about 95% of its oil imports.

Common ground

Miyata Tomohide, chief executive of Eneos, Japan's biggest refining group, told reporters on Thursday that the tanker has crossed the strait safely and is expected to arrive in Japan in late May or early June.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-05-14-second-japan-linked-oil-tanke…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5
info Single Source 3
schedule Pending 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info
Claim 1: “Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi... said on Thursday the government did not pay a toll to Iran for the transit.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms Toshimitsu Motegi is the Foreign Minister, the specific claim that he stated the government did not pay a toll is not corroborated by the provided search results, which only show him discussing general communications and refusing unilateral talks.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The minister for foreign affairs (外務大臣, Gaimu Daijin) is a member of the cabinet of Japan and is the leader and chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The minister is responsible for impl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_for_Foreign_Affairs_(…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Toshimitsu Motegi (茂木 敏充, Motegi Toshimitsu; born 7 October 1955) is a Japanese politician who is serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs and as a member of the House of Representatives. He has previo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshimitsu_Motegi
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Relations between China and Japan entered a state of crisis in November 2025, after Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi said in the Japanese parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could potenti…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–2026_China–Japan_diplomat…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 2: “Tokyo has stepped up diplomatic efforts since the conflict emerged in late February”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of general information about Japan (Wikipedia, Britannica) and does not mention specific diplomatic efforts stepped up in late February.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislature known as the National Diet. Widely considered a great power and the only Asian member of the G7, it maintains one of the world's stronge…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 11 hours ago · Japan is an island country lying off the east coast of Asia. It consists of a string of islands in a northeast-southwest arc that stretches for approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 km) thro…
https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The official site of Japan National Tourism Organization is your ultimate Japan guide with tourist information for Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hokkaido and other top Japan holiday destinations.
https://www.japan.travel/en/
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Claim 3: “The latest passage through the Strait follows one in late April by the Idemitsu Maru, carrying Saudi oil and managed by a unit of Japanese refiner Idemitsu Kosan 5019.T.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the Idemitsu Maru, carrying Saudi oil and managed by Idemitsu Kosan, passed through the Strait in late April.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 29 April - Nissho Maru passes through the Gaspar Strait. 30 April - Nissho Maru reaches the South China Sea, ends radio silence and contacts Idemitsu.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissho_Maru_Incident
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Idemitsu Maru's fee-free transit of Hormuz with Saudi crude reveals Iran's licensing regime as a permanent sovereignty claim, not a wartime blockade.
https://houseofsaud.com/idemitsu-maru-hormuz-iran-licensing/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Panama-flagged tanker Idemitsu Maru, carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi oil, crossed the Strait of Hormuz, LSEG shipping data showed on Tuesday, becoming the first Japan-linked crude tanker to do so …
https://www.marinelink.com/news/japanlinked-tanker-carrying-…
schedule
Claim 4: “Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited Beijing last week.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 5: “Miyata Tomohide, chief executive of Eneos, Japan's biggest refining group, told reporters on Thursday that the tanker has crossed the strait safely and is expected to arrive in Japan in late May or early June.”
CORROBORATED
Bloomberg and other search results confirm Eneos President Tomohide Miyata's statement regarding the tanker's safe crossing and its expected arrival in Japan in late May or early June.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A day earlier, three tankers, including one co-owned by Mitsui, crossed the strait. READ: Iran assures safe passage of PH vessels via Strait of Hormuz – DFA. Mitsui’s Sohar LNG vessel was the first LN…
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/317111/japan-owned-tanker-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime choke point for world energy trade, has been largely blocked by Iran since 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_crisis
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Eneos President Tomohide Miyata confirmed the vessel passed through Hormuz during an earnings press conference on Thursday. The company expects the ship to arrive in Japan sometime between the end of …
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-14/japanese-…
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Claim 6: “Before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran largely disrupted oil supplies via the Strait of Hormuz, Japan relied on the Gulf for about 95% of its oil imports.”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results explicitly state that Japan relied on the Gulf for approximately 95% of its oil imports prior to the conflict.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On June 22, 2025, the United States Air Force and Navy attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran as part of the Twelve-Day War, under the code name Operation Midnight Hammer. The Fordow Uranium Enrich…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_United_States_strikes_on_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel have been engaged in a war with Iran and its regional allies. The conflict began when the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting mili…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the 2026 Iran war covers the period since 28 February 2026. The war is ongoing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2026_Iran_war
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 7: “Idemitsu, Japan's second-biggest oil refining group, said this week it expected Hormuz to reopen sometime between July and September”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding Idemitsu's expectations for the reopening of Hormuz between July and September.
info
Claim 8: “There are 39 Japan-related vessels still stuck in the Gulf, according to Takaichi.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for PM Takaichi discusses her premiership, visits to Vietnam/Australia, and an earthquake, but does not mention the specific number of vessels stuck in the Gulf.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sanae Takaichi is a Japanese politician who has been Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party since October 2025.Since her election as prime minister, Takaichi has been de…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that today's earthquake does not fall under the "mega-earthquake" warning.
https://unn.ua/en/news/japan-rocked-by-another-earthquake-au…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Prime Minister Takaichi Spoke to the Press Regarding Her Visit to Viet Nam and Australia. May 4, 2026. Foreign Policy Speech by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae.Comprehensive Economic Measures to Build a…
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/
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Claim 9: “Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has directly contacted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to allow for the transit of the ship, which has four Japanese crew members onboard”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that PM Sanae Takaichi contacted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to secure safe passage for the tanker, and specifically mention the presence of four Japanese crew members.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is the list of international prime ministerial trips made by Sanae Takaichi, who has served as Prime Minister of Japan since 21 October 2025. Sanae Takaichi has made 5 international trips to 6 co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_prime_mi…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The prime minister of Japan is the country's head of government and the leader of the Cabinet. This is a list of prime ministers of Japan, from when the first Japanese prime minister (in the modern se…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prime_ministers_of_Jap…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sanae Takaichi (高市 早苗, Takaichi Sanae; born 7 March 1961) is a Japanese politician who has been Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since October 2025. She is t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanae_Takaichi
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 10: “refinery runs started to normalise this month, surpassing 70% for the first time since late March.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding Japanese refinery run percentages for the current month or March.
schedule
Claim 11: “A Chinese supertanker carrying Iraqi crude sailed through the Strait on Wednesday, exiting the Gulf just before a Beijing summit of U.S. and Chinese leaders over the following two days.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 12: “The Eneos-managed tanker is carrying 1.2 million barrels of Kuwait crude and 700,000 barrels of Emirati Das Blend oil loaded in late February, Kpler data showed separately, with an estimated arrival date of June 3.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (Headlines, Arab News PK) confirm the specific cargo of 1.2 million barrels of Kuwait crude and 700,000 barrels of Emirati Das Blend, as well as the June 3 arrival date based on Kpler data.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Arabic: شركة بترول أبو ظبي الوطنية), known by its acronym ADNOC, is the state-owned oil company of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is the world's 12th largest o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi_National_Oil_Company
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A Panama-flagged crude oil tanker operated by Eneos, a Japanese refining group, has passed through the Strait of Hormuz. It carries 1.2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude and 700,000 barrels of Emirati …
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/headlines/3907555-tanke…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Eneos-managed tanker is carrying 1.2 million barrels of Kuwait crude and 700,000 barrels of Emirati Das Blend oil loaded in late February.The vessel is expected to arrive in Japan on June 3, according…
https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2643523/middle-east
+ 1 more evidence source
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.