US president Donald Trump's war on Iran and the ongoing oil crisis have unilaterally impacted Asia and pushed nations to impose drastic Covid-19-era measures to conserve energy.
Asia has been at the frontline of the crisis, with almost 90 per cent of its purchased crude oil transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been shut by Tehran after strikes by the US and Israel last month. The strait, which links the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, is pivotal for the flow of roughly a fifth of the world’s energy supply.
Governments across Asia have declared national holidays, imposed work-from-home measures, cut work days, closed universities and urged citizens to shower for a shorter period of time to conserve supplies.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has drawn parallels between the conflict in the Middle East and the Covid-19 pandemic, urging people to remain prepared.
"Because of this war, the difficult global situation may continue for a long time. Therefore, we must remain prepared and stay united. We have faced such challenges before as well by staying united during the coronavirus pandemic," he told parliamentarians.
India is reeling under its worst gas crisis in decades with the government cutting supplies for industries to shield households from any shortage of cooking gas. The capital Delhi has invoked emergency powers to boost household Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supplies and established a panel to review industry requests, as companies raised prices for the first time in about a year.
China, which was reported to have reserves equivalent to three months of imports, hiked fuel prices.
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The Japanese government said it plans to tap 800bn yen ($5bn) in reserve funds to finance subsidies aimed at keeping gasoline prices at about 170 yen per litre on average. The measure could cost as much as 300bn yen ($1.8bn) per month.
Prime minister Sanae Takaichi asked the International Energy Agency (IEA) "to prepare to implement an additional release in case the situation drags on" with the war in the Middle East. Earlier in the day, Ms Takaichi said Tokyo has begun releasing 15 days' worth of private-sector petroleum reserves last week and it will on Thursday begin tapping into government stockpiles.
Japan depends on the Middle East for 95 per cent of its oil imports.
The IEA agreed to a record release of around 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles to deal with the crisis and outlined proposals to ease oil price pressures, such as working from home and avoiding air travel. IEA executive director, Fatih Birol, repeated those calls at a conference in Sydney this week.
“There were real-life tests, such as after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, European countries adopted these measures, and it was announced by the European governments. It helped them a lot to go through these difficult times without Russian energy, but keeping the lights on,” Mr Birol said.
Industrial powerhouse South Korea on Tuesday launched a public campaign asking people to cut shower time, charge phones during the day and run vacuums on weekends.
“We will consult with relevant ministries and actively consider measures for work-from-home,” energy minister Kim Sung-hwan told a briefing.
The Philippines, which relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil for its energy needs, shortened the work week in some government offices earlier this month. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr declared a state of national energy emergency, saying the conflict poses an “imminent danger” to the country’s energy supply.
Manila has temporarily increased coal-fired generation and purchased Russian oil for the first time in five years following a 30-day waiver issued by the US.
Last week, the government said the Philippines had around 45 days of fuel supply, and is procuring one million more barrels of oil to build its buffer stock.
Pakistan closed schools for two weeks and said office workers would work more from home. The island nation of Sri Lanka declared a public holiday every Wednesday to help stretch fuel supplies.
Singapore, an Asian financial hub, urged people and businesses to switch to energy-efficient appliances, use electric vehicles and set higher temperatures on air conditioners.
Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered bureaucrats to suspend overseas trips, set air conditioning above 25°C, avoid suits and ties, use stairs instead of elevators, and work from home.
Bangladesh earlier this month announced early Ramadan holidays, shut down university campuses and began imposing temporary blackouts.
Energy research firm Wood Mackenzie told BBC that should the war continue, Brent oil prices could climb as high as $150 a barrel and trigger a global recession.
On 28 Feb, Israel said it launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran, pushing the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation and further dimming hopes for a diplomatic solution to Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West. US-Israeli airstrikes killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and left the Islamic Republic scrambling to rebuild its leadership amid its biggest test in five decades.
US and Israeli strikes – and Iranian retaliation – rippled through global markets, hitting sectors from shipping to air travel to oil. Analysts warned of rising energy costs and disruption to business in the Gulf, a strategic waterway and global trade hub.
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