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April 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump warned Tehran against imposing tariffs on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as a deepening global energy crisis prompted Japan on Friday to announce an additional drawdown of its emergency oil reserves.

Iran's war damaged energy production in the Gulf region and disrupted oil tanker traffic, driving up oil prices by about 50 percent in the worst shock to global energy markets. Asian buyers were among the hardest hit by the crisis.

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, "There are reports that Iran is charging oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz... better that this is not true and if it is, they should stop immediately."

He added, "This is not what we agreed upon!"

Opening the strait and allowing hundreds of stranded oil tankers and other vessels to pass through was a condition of the two-week ceasefire announced on April 7, following weeks of attacks that damaged energy infrastructure across the Gulf.

Hamid Hosseini, spokesman for the Union of Exporters of Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products in Iran, told the Financial Times that Iran would demand payment of fees in cryptocurrencies during the ceasefire period.

Iran sets a new course

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the Revolutionary Guard on Thursday designated a special route for ships and warned against sailing through Iranian waters around Larak Island to avoid the risk of sea mines in the usual passages through the Strait.

The impact of the conflict extended far beyond the Gulf economies and the tourism sector, leaving global repercussions that included higher energy prices and increased inflationary pressures, disruptions to supplies of liquefied natural gas and aluminum, India’s imports of cooking gas, supplies of helium used in the manufacture of electronic chips in Asia, diesel needed by farmers, and jet fuel for airlines.

* Additional withdrawal in Japan

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told a cabinet meeting on Friday that the country plans to draw down its oil reserves again to cover 20 days of consumption starting in May.

Japan relies on oil from the Gulf region to cover approximately 95 percent of its needs. Takaichi stated that by May, the country would be able to secure more than half of its imports via routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, without providing further details.

With the strait remaining virtually closed, Saudi Arabia was able to export oil via the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. A document from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released Friday showed that the country will receive four times more US crude oil in May than it did a year earlier.

Gulf producers' plans

Saudi Arabia updated its production status overnight, and the official news agency reported that the Iranian attacks caused a reduction in oil production capacity of about 600,000 barrels per day and a decrease in oil flow through the East-West pipeline to Yanbu of about 700,000 barrels per day.

Two sources said that Aramco has asked its customers to specify the quantities and dates for May shipments to be loaded from the ports of Yanbu and Ras Tanura, with shipping from Ras Tanura contingent on the opening of the strait.

Two sources said that the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation had provided dates for loading operations in April on a free-on-board basis, but that this also depends on the resumption of navigation in the strait.

Last month, the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation declared force majeure on shipments due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Price premium

Iranian crude exports continue to flow almost unhindered as small, independent refineries in China pay premium prices on Brent crude for the first time in years.

Iranian oil typically trades at a discount to global prices due to sanctions. Trade sources said at least two refineries in China purchased Iranian light crude this week at premiums of between $1.50 and $2 per barrel above Brent futures on the Intercontinental Exchange. This compares to a discount of around $10 per barrel before the conflict began.

A source said he believes this is the first time since 2022 that small, independent Chinese refineries have bought Iranian oil at a price premium over Brent.

Brent crude futures rose 1 percent to just under $97 a barrel by 10:10 GMT on Friday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 0.7 percent to $98.50 a barrel.