Donald Trump, US President / We get less than 1% of our oil from the Strait. Japan gets 95%, China gets 90%. Many of the Europeans get quite a bit. South Koreans get 35%. So we want them to come and help us with the Strait.

US President Trump made the remarks on March 16, and expressed dissatisfaction that countries that the States has protected from external threats for many years were not proactively cooperating with him.

Trump also told reporters that Iran wanted to reach an agreement with the United States and that it was in discussions with US officials.

He also said that he did not know who Iran’s new leader was, and that there were people from the Iranian side who wanted to negotiate but did not know who they were.

Meanwhile, Japan started releasing its strategic oil reserves on March 16.

The country will release 15 days' worth of private-sector petroleum reserves to ensure a stable supply of gasoline and petroleum products.

According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a significant drop in the number of tankers arriving in Japan starting around March 20.

At a gas station in Yokohama, prices had risen by 28 yen per liter since the week of March 9.

Customer / Honestly, it's expensive. I usually fill up the tank, but I might have to start calculating how much to put in.

To keep the national average price of regular gasoline at around 170 yen per liter, the government will begin providing subsidies to gasoline wholesalers starting March 19.

It is expected that prices will stabilize at around 170 yen within about one to two weeks.