Japanese Shipping Giants Halt Strait of Hormuz Transit as Iran Conflict Raises Fears Over Oil Supply

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:19 JST, March 2, 2026

Major Japanese shipping companies have suspended navigation through the Strait of Hormuz following attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. Japan depends on the Middle East for more than 90% of its crude oil imports, raising concerns that a prolonged disruption could affect the stability of supplies.

By Sunday, Japan’s three largest shipping companies — Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha — had halted passage through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Iranian authorities had notified the company that all vessels were prohibited from transiting.

The Strait of Hormuz separates the Gulf of Oman in the Indian Ocean from the Persian Gulf. The Mitsui O.S.K Lines halted ships headed for the Persian Gulf, while vessels already in it were moved to safer waters.

Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha also instructed multiple ships remaining in the Persian Gulf to evacuate to safer areas. In addition to crude oil tankers, shipping companies operate vessels carrying liquefied natural gas and automobiles.

According to Reuters, major global oil companies have also suspended transport through the Strait of Hormuz. Omani authorities said Sunday that an oil tanker flying the Palau flag had come under attack off the coast of Oman.

Roughly 20% of the world’s crude oil shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, including most of the oil Japan imports from the Middle East.

Japan maintains petroleum reserves through both government and private-sector stockpiles. According to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, as of the end of December 2025, those reserves were equivalent to 254 days of consumption. Even if crude oil imports are disrupted, domestic supplies are not expected to run out in the short term.

Flight cancellations continue

The attacks on Iran are also having a growing impact on air travel. With multiple airspaces in the Middle East closed, airlines around the world have successively suspended flights to and from the region, and the outlook remains uncertain.

Japan Airlines Co. has decided to cancel six flights between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Doha through Tuesday. It has not yet determined whether service will resume on Wednesday or later.

At Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture, five flights bound for Middle Eastern destinations including Doha and Tel Aviv were canceled on Sunday. Airlines posted notices at airport counters informing travelers of the airspace closures and asking for their understanding.

“I heard the flight has been canceled and I’m at a loss,” said a 60-year-old office worker from Ina, Nagano Prefecture, who had been scheduled to travel to Germany on a Sunday night flight via Doha. “I have business meetings on Tuesday and Thursday, and I’m wondering whether I’ll make it in time.”