51³Ô¹ÏÍø

author

 
Menu
Search
 
July 24, 2026
 

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access

Meta

Alex Longley
An oil tanker sails at sea near the Omani coast, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Thursday.
WORLD
Jun 26, 2026
Ship struck in Strait of Hormuz as oil supertankers turn back again
The unidentified cargo ship was hit on its side and sustained damage to the bridge while it was sailing to the southeast of Oman, U.K. Maritime Trade Operations said.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely blocked since the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø began in late February and has been subject to an international diplomatic arm wrestle ever since.
BUSINESS
May 15, 2026
Hormuz oil flows creep higher as more supertankers exit
Four ships each hauling 2 million barrels of mostly-Iraqi crude have exited since May 10 ¡ª?a rate close to 2 million barrels a day ¡ª according to vessel tracking data.
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at an event in Las Vegas, on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 20, 2026
U.S. seizes first Iranian ship in blockade, imperiling talks
The waterway is just one of the unresolved issues, which also include Iran¡¯s nuclear capabilities and Israel¡¯s ongoing invasion of Lebanon.
Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on Saturday
WORLD / Politics
Apr 19, 2026
Hormuz at standstill, denting U.S.-Iran peace deal hopes
The standoff threatens to deepen the energy crisis and undermine expectations of a peace deal touted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
A police speedboat patrols as oil tankers and high-speed crafts sit anchored at Muscat Anchorage near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday in Muscat, Oman.
BUSINESS
Apr 2, 2026
Secret codes and yuan fees get ships through Iran¡¯s Hormuz tollbooth
Ship owners and operators face difficult legal questions over whether they should pay Iran¡¯s tolls and which rules, sanctions and conventions may be applied to them.
An oil tanker off the shore of Singapore, on March 17
BUSINESS
Apr 2, 2026
A 12,000-mile journey shows the world¡¯s scramble for diesel
Soaring fuel prices from the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø are forcing oil traders into longer, stranger journeys, sending cargoes on routes that would normally make little economic sense.
Protesters, predominantly Houthi supporters, burn Israeli and U.S. flags as they demonstrate in solidarity with Palestinians and Iran, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Friday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jun 23, 2025
How a cornered Iran could wreak havoc on global oil trade
Iran has over the years threatened multiple times to shut the Strait of Hormuz ¡ª a narrow stretch of water through which a fifth of the world¡¯s oil supply flows each day.
Smoke rises from a fire aboard the cargo vessel Morning Midas as seen from a U.S. Coast Guard C-130J Super Hercules, approximately 480 kilometers south of Adak, Alaska, on Tuesday. The ship's cargo consists of around 3,000 cars, including 800 electric vehicles.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 5, 2025
Ship carrying EVs abandoned in Pacific after catching fire
The Morning Midas¡¯ cargo consists of about 3,000 cars, including 800 electric vehicles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a nuclear-powered submarine in Murmansk, Russia, on Thursday.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 31, 2025
Trump threatens Russia oil penalties, citing anger at Putin
The U.S. president also raised the threat of bombing Iran until it signs a deal that renounces nuclear weapons.
WTI futures surged as much as 11% amid concern that Israel might strike oil facilities in retaliation for Iran¡¯s missile attack.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 7, 2024
Oil bets are the most bullish in two years as Mideast tension flares
The escalation in the Middle East has changed everything, with most traders now looking to buy insurance against a surge in oil prices.
The Nautica, a replacement oil tanker for the decaying FSO Safer, arrives in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen, in July last year.
BUSINESS
Feb 25, 2024
Shortage of oil tankers at hand as Red Sea attacks divert trade
Only two new supertankers join the fleet in 2024 ¡ª the fewest additions in almost four decades.
Graffiti painted on a wall of the Saudi Arabian embassy in Sanaa depicts a Houthi fighter stopping an Israeli ship off the coast of Yemen. The group has been targeting ships in the Red Sea since November.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 20, 2024
Houthi strikes force crew to abandon ship for first time
The militant group made unverified claims that the attack on the British vessel resulted in its complete sinking.
Indian commandos stand guard with a group of detained pirates after the Indian Navy freed an Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by Somali pirates on Tuesday.
WORLD
Feb 4, 2024
As navies focus on Red Sea Houthis, Somali pirates may rebound
Attacks off the coast of Somalia peaked around 200 incidents a year from 2009 through 2011 ¡ª there have already been three in 2024
Fighters loyal to the Houthis ride on the back of a pick-up truck during a military parade for new tribal recruits amid escalating tensions with the U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea, in Bani Hushaish, Yemen on Monday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jan 24, 2024
Red Sea attacks could disrupt shipping for months, driving up costs
With sailors demanding double pay and insurance rates skyrocketing, shipping lines are steering clear of a waterway that normally carries 12% of seaborne trade.
A ship transits the Suez Canal toward the Red Sea on Jan. 10. Insurance costs for ships whose seafarers who do brave the waterway have shot up tenfold, including a large increase since the airstrikes.
WORLD / Politics
Jan 19, 2024
Airstrikes on Yemen bring new level of chaos to Red Sea shipping
After U.S. and U.K. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, Western navies caution ships to steer clear.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 5, 2022
Europe¡¯s new sanctions on Russian oil are set to kick in. But what changes?
After months of planning and negotiations, the biggest tranche of sanctions on Russian oil to date take effect on Monday. How big their impact will be remains uncertain.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Apr 29, 2021
Pandemic boost for global car sales to spark surge in oil demand
The car renaissance could be the latest example of how COVID-19 will leave a lasting impact on our lives.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 15, 2021
Egypt seizes Suez ship Ever Given pending $900 million payment
A spokesman for Japanese owner Shoei Kisen Kaisha declined to comment on compensation while discussions with the Suez Canal Authority are underway.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE 51³Ô¹ÏÍø

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER