Middle East Tensions Disrupt Maritime Transport to Japan

Tokyo, March 7 (Jiji Press)–The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran have paralyzed maritime shipping between the Middle East and Japan, disrupting both imports to and exports from the Asian country. Ocean Network Express, a container shipping company jointly owned by Japan’s Nippon Yusen K.K., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., has stopped accepting bookings for new cargo to and from the Persian Gulf. The impact of the shipping freeze is spreading, with some Japanese automakers considering cutting production due to stalled exports. Japan relies on the Middle East for 90 pct of its crude oil imports, most of which are transported by tankers that pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively closed the strait, leaving 45 Japan-related vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf as of Friday. As tankers that passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the closure are expected to arrive in Japan within about 20 to 30 days, it will take some time before Japanese crude oil imports are completely cut off. Nevertheless, major shipping companies are growing increasingly anxious, with an official saying, “There is no alternative (to maritime transport) for procuring crude oil.” Japanese exports to the Middle East have expanded in recent years. The total value of shipments to the region reached around 4,636 billion yen in 2025, of which automobiles accounted for about half. Toyota Motor Corp. is considering reducing output of vehicles in Japan for the Middle Eastern market by about 20,000 units through the end of this month. Another major automaker said that vehicles manufactured for sale in the Middle East may be exported to another region. The automobile industry has been increasingly interested in the Middle East as the next rising market. If the latest conflict is prolonged, companies may be forced to rethink their strategies, a Japanese government source said. Maritime transport to and from Japan often uses ports in the United Arab Emirates, requiring vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and reach the Persian Gulf. While U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. Navy would protect crude oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, it is unclear when and how this would be realized. “We cannot resume navigation unless we confirm the safety of the crew, vessel and cargo,” said Hitoshi Nagasawa, chairman of Nippon Yusen and president of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association, an organization of shipping businesses. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]