Rising tensions surrounding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are beginning to ripple through Japan’s economy, with higher energy costs and shortages of petroleum-based materials threatening to accelerate inflation just as the country heads into another extremely hot summer. (News On Japan)

Construction projects across Japan are being suspended as shortages of paint, thinner and waterproofing materials linked to worsening tensions in the Middle East place mounting pressure on small and midsize builders, with some contractors warning they may soon be forced out of business. (News On Japan)

The crude oil tanker "Idemitsu Maru," which passed through the Strait of Hormuz, is scheduled to arrive at Nagoya Port around noon on May 25th, drawing attention as Japan faces a sharp decline in crude imports from the Middle East following the effective closure of the strategic waterway. (News On Japan)

The film 'Kokuhou,' which swept 10 categories at this year's Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony in March, has become one of Japan's biggest box office successes in decades, helping fuel record profits at major distributor and production company Toho. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average climbed sharply again on May 22nd, closing at a record high of 63,339 as investor sentiment improved on expectations that fighting between the United States and Iran could soon come to an end. (News On Japan)

Nagoya Customs released its April trade report on May 21st, showing clear signs that tensions in the Middle East are affecting both imports and exports, with shipments to the region falling 82.4% from a year earlier to 26.17 billion yen. (News On Japan)

Honda will launch a new compact electric vehicle in Japan as it seeks to expand EV sales and rebuild its four-wheel business following its first annual loss since listing. (News On Japan)

The impact of tensions in the Middle East is spreading to familiar snacks in Japan, with Morinaga & Co. temporarily suspending sales of some caramel products, including its long-selling Hi-Soft brand, after difficulties emerged in securing certain raw materials. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average rebounded sharply on May 21st after falling below 60,000 at the previous day's close, briefly rising more than 2,200 points as hopes grew for progress in talks toward ending the fighting between the United States and Iran, while SoftBank Group gave the market a major boost following reports that OpenAI was preparing to file for an initial public offering. (News On Japan)

Japan’s imports of crude oil from the Middle East plunged 67.2% in April from a year earlier, as the impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz began to ripple through the country’s trade and energy supply chains. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average surged by more than 2,100 points at one stage in trading on May 21st, with the benchmark index continuing to trade above the 61,000 level in the Tokyo stock market. (News On Japan)

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Toshiba announced on May 20th that they had jointly developed a new stock index utilizing quantum technology. (News On Japan)

TOTO, a major Japanese manufacturer of housing and bathroom equipment, reopened its showroom in London, England, on May 20th after undergoing its first major renovation in 16 years. (News On Japan)

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region. (News On Japan)

U.S. President Donald Trump was found to have traded large amounts of stock, including shares in Kura Sushi USA, in a wave of more than 3,700 transactions over a three-month period that has sparked criticism over possible conflicts of interest. (News On Japan)

As conflict in the Middle East drags on, shortages of naphtha — a key raw material used in a wide range of petroleum-based products — are beginning to affect even Japan's traditional cheap snacks, with manufacturers facing steep rises in packaging and material costs while trying to keep products affordable for children. (News On Japan)

Foreign ownership of land in Japan has become an increasingly debated issue in recent years, and now the trend is spreading into Ashiya, one of the Kansai region’s most prestigious residential areas, where property prices are soaring amid growing demand from Chinese buyers. (News On Japan)

Japan’s food delivery industry is entering a new phase of fierce competition, with major operators locked in a prolonged battle over pricing and market share while profitability remains elusive, raising concerns about the future of domestic player Demae-can, whose stock has plunged roughly 97% from its pandemic-era peak. (News On Japan)

Japan’s GDP, or gross domestic product, grew at an annualized rate of 2.1% from January to March, marking a second consecutive quarter of positive growth, with the impact of Middle East tensions remaining relatively limited during the period. (News On Japan)

Toyota has begun selling vehicles produced in the United States and "reverse-imported" into Japan following Japan-U.S. negotiations over the Trump administration's tariffs. (News On Japan)