A Japanese-owned tanker carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil has transited through the Strait of Hormuz after securing permission from Iranian authorities.

Axar.az reports, citing Kyodo, the Panama-flagged Idemitsu Maru, managed by a subsidiary of Japan's Idemitsu Kosan Co., loaded crude oil at a terminal in Saudi Arabia in early March. After spending over a week stationary off Abu Dhabi, the ship began its journey toward the strait on Monday, according to Iran's Press TV.

Japan relies heavily on the Middle East for crude oil and most of it passes through the Strait of Hormuz. The effective closure of the crucial waterway has sent crude oil prices surging due to supply concerns.