Japan sharply reduced natural gas-fired power generation last month and relied more on coal as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz tightened LNG availability, according to Bloomberg Markets. The shift underlines how quickly turbulence around a key maritime chokepoint can affect fuel choices in major importing economies.
For tanker and gas shipping markets, the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most critical routes for LNG flows into Asia. Any disruption in or around the passage can pressure cargo availability, reroute vessels, and raise freight and supply risk for importers such as Japan.