A shipment of U.S. crude oil has arrived in Japan for the first time since the outbreak of the Iran conflict, as Tokyo moves to diversify energy supplies amid growing instability in the Middle East.

Axar.az reports, citing Japan Times, the tanker, carrying around 910,000 barrels of oil, reached an offshore jetty in Tokyo Bay on Sunday before being transferred for processing at a refinery operated by Cosmo Oil, according to Japanese media reports.

The shipment marks the first arrival of American crude since late February, when U.S. military action in Iran contributed to heightened tensions and disruptions in global shipping routes, including concerns over the Strait of Hormuz.

Officials said the cargo, sourced from the United States, traveled via the Panama Canal after departing from Texas in March.

Japan, which imports more than 90% of its crude oil from the Middle East, has been accelerating efforts to secure alternative suppliers. Authorities are also increasing purchases from non-Middle Eastern routes in North and South America and Central Asia to reduce exposure to regional risks.

Although the latest shipment represents less than a day’s national consumption, officials say imports from the United States are expected to increase significantly in the coming months as part of a broader energy security strategy.