Japan logs 1.01 tril. yen trade deficit in January-June, hit by Iran war

TOKYO - Japan logged a trade deficit of 1.01 trillion yen ($6.2 billion) in the first six months of 2026, with the Middle East crisis and disruptions of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz affecting imports, government data showed Wednesday.

Japan's crude oil imports from the Middle East region fell 26.4 percent to 47.31 million kiloliters, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report, as the government rushed to secure fuel from alternative suppliers following the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February.