Japanese-Linked Vessel Damaged While Anchored in Persian Gulf, Crew Unharmed

Jun 16, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A Japanese-linked vessel anchored in the Persian Gulf sustained damage to part of its hull, but remained capable of sailing under its own power and no crew members were injured, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Kaneko said.

Speaking at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting on June 16th, Kaneko said authorities confirmed damage to a portion of the vessel while it was anchored in the Persian Gulf during the early hours of June 13th local time.

No injuries were reported among the crew, and the ship remains seaworthy and able to navigate independently. There were no Japanese nationals among the crew members on board, he added.

Kaneko said the extent of the damage and its cause are still under investigation, with authorities continuing to verify the details of the incident.

In response, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism issued a warning to the Japan Shipowners' Association, urging it to ensure thorough safety measures for vessels and crew members.

The ministry also confirmed that no damage has been reported to the other 37 Japanese-related vessels currently anchored in the Persian Gulf.

Source: TBS

Brutal Heat to Grip Japan as Heatstroke Risk Climbs

Japan is expected to remain under intense summer heat through next week as the Pacific high-pressure system continues to dominate the country, bringing widespread temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius and increasing the risk of heatstroke.

Typhoon No. 9 Raises Storm Surge Risk as High Tide Approaches

Large and very powerful Typhoon No. 9 (Bavi) was moving north-northwest south of Okinawa on July 10 and was forecast to strike the Sakishima Islands from Friday night through Saturday while maintaining its strength, raising fears of destructive winds, torrential rain and a dangerous storm surge coinciding with high tide.

Akie Abe Reflects on Husband’s Killing Four Years Later

Akie Abe, the wife of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has said she is only now becoming able to grieve honestly over her husband’s death, four years after he was shot and killed during an election campaign speech in Nara.

Shizuoka Approves Start of Maglev Construction After Nine-Year Dispute

A nine-year dispute over the Linear Chuo Shinkansen effectively came to an end on July 7 as Shizuoka Governor Yasutomo Suzuki told the prefectural assembly that he would allow Central Japan Railway to begin construction on the Shizuoka section of the project.

Japan Lowers Passport Fees to 7,000 yen

Japan lowered passport application fees from July 1, drawing large crowds to application counters such as the one in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, although applicants are being warned that issuance could take as long as about one month.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Oil Crisis NEWS

Thinner Prices More Than Double as Naphtha Shock Eases but Costs Bite

Marutake Tosou, a painting company founded about 50 years ago in Nagoya’s Nishi Ward, handles exterior walls and other building projects. Its workshop is lined with cans of thinner, an essential material used for sanding products and diluting paint, but at the end of April the company was struggling to secure supplies.

Dental Clinics Face Higher Costs From Naphtha Shock

Dental clinics are facing higher costs for gloves, masks and other supplies made from naphtha-derived materials, even as shortages ease following renewed conflict in the Middle East that has disrupted naphtha supplies.

Crude Falls Toward Earlier Levels As Household Costs Keep Climbing

Crude oil prices have plunged to the low $70 range per barrel following the signing of a memorandum aimed at ending fighting between the United States and Iran, but while the immediate risk of an energy crisis appears to have eased, economists warn that price increases for electricity, food and everyday goods may still be about to intensify.

Japan Moves to Ease Thinner Shortage as Naphtha Shock Hits Builders

Japan will begin a new system on June 23 to sell paint and thinner directly from manufacturers to construction firms and other businesses, aiming to ease supply bottlenecks and curb price increases as worsening conditions in the Middle East make such materials harder to obtain.

Recycling Technology Takes On Naphtha Shortage

Japan's reliance on Middle Eastern crude oil has left manufacturers exposed to rising costs for plastic containers, ink and other products that use naphtha, but JEPLAN President Masaki Takao is pushing a recycling technology that could reduce the need for petroleum-derived raw materials by turning used plastic back into material close to new.

Middle East Tensions Hit Local Rice Balls

A rice ball chain based in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, is feeling the effects of turmoil in the Middle East through higher costs and supply shortages for packaging film and other materials essential to selling onigiri.

IEA Sees Oil Oversupply in 2027 if Iran War Ends

The global oil market could face a major supply surplus in 2027 if the United States and Iran maintain an agreement aimed at ending hostilities, the International Energy Agency said in its monthly report released on June 17.

Calbee's Black-and-White Potato Chips Reach Store Shelves

Calbee's potato chips in black-and-white packaging appeared on convenience store shelves in Tokyo on June 17, reflecting the company's response to concerns over the stability of printing ink supplies derived from naphtha as tensions in the Middle East disrupted procurement.

< 2 3 4 5 >