Iran–Israel War: Japan's Oil Imports Crashed 67% — And the Rerouting Is Only Just Starting
When the Strait of Hormuz closed, Japan lost its energy jugular overnight. From stranded tankers to $109 oil and 25% higher tuna prices, here is how the war is reshaping daily life in the world's fourth-largest economy.
Compiled from live news data by NewzAI · May 28, 2026
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A Tanker Three Months at Sea
The Idemitsu Maru left Saudi Arabia on March 16, 2026, carrying around 2 million barrels — roughly 300 million liters — of crude oil bound for Japan. It never arrived on schedule. Days after departure, the Strait of Hormuz was effectively sealed following the escalation of conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The tanker was trapped, along with dozens of other vessels, its crew forced to rely on small Saudi supply boats for food and drinking water as the blockade stretched far beyond what anyone initially expected.
The ship finally passed through Hormuz on April 29 and arrived at Nagoya Port on May 25 — more than two months after it set out. Its entire cargo amounted to roughly 0.6 days of Japan's total oil consumption. Read on NewzAI →
Image credit: The Japan Times / AP
Why Hormuz Matters More to Japan Than Anywhere Else
Before the conflict, nearly all of Japan's Middle East crude oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz — a 33-kilometer-wide chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil exports flow. Japan imports nearly all of its oil, and the Middle East has historically supplied the vast majority of that. The effective closure of Hormuz didn't just raise prices — it severed the primary artery of Japan's energy supply almost overnight.
Around 40 vessels remain stranded in or near the strait. Read on NewzAI →
The Numbers: April's 67% Import Collapse
Japan's Ministry of Finance April trade data made the scale of the disruption undeniable. Crude oil imports from the Middle East plunged 67.2% year-on-year. Total crude oil imports from all countries fell 63.7%. Naphtha — derived from crude and critical for plastics, chemicals, and fertilizers — dropped 79.4% from Middle Eastern sources. Read on NewzAI →
The emergency sourcing pivot is visible in the same data: US crude imports rose by nearly 40%, while oil-based product imports surged 206-fold as Japan scrambled to offset the Middle East shortfall.
Image credit: News on Japan / Ministry of Finance data
The Emergency Pivot: America, Russia, and Australia
Japan's response has been a rapid three-front diversification:
United States: The first US crude tanker entered Tokyo Bay in late April, routed via the Panama Canal where vessel traffic has surged to three times its normal levels. The cargo amounted to approximately 0.4 days of Japan's consumption. A second tanker, the ENEOS Endeavor, was near Southeast Asia as of late May carrying a similar volume. Read on NewzAI →
Russia: On May 4, crude oil from the Sakhalin development project — in which Japan holds an investment stake — arrived off the coast of Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. It was procured by Taiyo Oil at the direct request of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Read on NewzAI →
Australia: On April 28, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, confirming the strategic importance of stable LNG supply from Australia as a long-term hedge against Middle East disruption. Read on NewzAI →
Beyond the Pump: Food, Plastics, and Tourism
The Hormuz blockade is not just a fuel story. Its effects are spreading through Japan's broader economy:
Fertilizers: The Middle East produces roughly one-third of global fertilizer supply, much of it exported through Hormuz. Japanese agricultural operators report prices already up about 20% from a year ago, with forecasts of 1.5 times current levels by June and potentially double next year. One farm park in Chiba Prefecture has reduced its lily field to one-fourteenth of its usual size to manage costs. Read on NewzAI →
Tourism: European travelers are canceling Japan trips as rerouted flight paths push up airfares sharply. Read on NewzAI →
Food: At a resort hotel in Miura City, Kanagawa, tuna procurement costs have risen around 25%. The hotel serves roughly 50 kilograms of tuna per day; the April price increase of around 500 yen per kilogram adds roughly 25,000 yen in daily costs for tuna alone. Read on NewzAI →
Utilities: Electricity and gas bills rose slightly for May. Japan's pricing system incorporates average fuel costs from three months prior, meaning the full impact of the disruption feeds through from June onward. The government is considering utility subsidies from July to September.
Japan's Cautious Government — and What Critics Are Saying
While South Korea launched a 12-point national energy conservation campaign within weeks of hostilities breaking out — asking citizens to reduce shower times, switch to public transport, and limit private vehicle use — Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has consistently said no such request is needed.
On May 19, Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung agreed to strengthen bilateral energy cooperation on oil products and jet fuel. The policy contrast in their respective domestic messaging, however, remains stark. Read on NewzAI →
Economic commentator Nakazora Naoko, speaking on TBS's "Hodo 1930," warned that if the crisis extends into summer, Japan could face serious shortages affecting fuel, plastics, chemicals, fertilizers, and logistics. Journalist Goto Kenji argued the government may be underestimating the public's ability to respond calmly — citing its failure to hold detailed press conferences. Critics have drawn comparisons to the 1973 oil shock, when panic buying triggered widespread shortages.
Professor Tanaka Koichiro of Keio University offered a longer perspective: if Hormuz remains closed long enough, Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE will permanently develop alternative export routes, eroding Iran's strategic leverage over the strait entirely. Read on NewzAI →
What to Watch
Brent crude: Prices have climbed above $109 per barrel. Some financial institutions have warned of $150 if disruptions continue into late June. HSBC forecasts an average of ~$95 for the year.
US–Iran talks: Negotiations toward a ceasefire are reportedly ongoing, but Israel — according to its own military officials — is pursuing a strategic posture described as a "forever war", with plans for permanent buffer zones in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon. Read on NewzAI →
Infrastructure recovery: Even if shipping routes normalize, analysts warn damage to oil infrastructure across the Middle East could take years to rebuild.
Japan's fiscal position: Any new utility subsidies financed through additional bond issuance could accelerate upward pressure on long-term interest rates — a risk analysts say could deepen concerns over Japan's fiscal trajectory.
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