ENEOS Holdings announced that a tanker operated by one of its group companies has successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.
The impact of Japan’s growing naphtha shortage is spreading across a widening range of industries, raising concerns about manufacturing, logistics, and even daily consumer life.
The “ink shock” caused by tensions in the Middle East is beginning to spread across Japan’s food packaging industry, prompting manufacturers to simplify designs and reduce ink usage as concerns grow over naphtha supplies and rising printing costs.
A tanker carrying approximately 45,000 kiloliters of crude oil from Azerbaijan arrived in Japan on May 12th, marking the first time Azerbaijani crude has reached the country as the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues.
The House of Councillors' settlement committee convened on May 11th with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in attendance, as lawmakers continued debating the government's response to the worsening situation surrounding Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A discount supermarket chain known for its ultra-low prices has raised the price of kaiware radish sprouts for the first time in 34 years, as worsening tensions in the Middle East continue to drive up oil-related costs and disrupt supplies of plastic products across Japan.
Rising tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect not only fuel and transportation costs, but also the prices of everyday foods ranging from cooking oil and fish to onions, with experts warning that the impact could continue for at least another year even if fighting comes to an end.
Prime Minister Takaichi returned to Japan after visits to Vietnam and Australia during the Golden Week holidays, securing agreements with both nations to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals and enhance cooperation on energy security, as Tokyo seeks to counter China’s economic pressure and navigate instability in the Middle East.