TOKYO, Sept 16–17, 2026 – The Straits of Hormuz crisis has hurt Asia’s poorest most through higher food prices, transportation costs, and reduced purchasing power, according to regional geoeconomic experts.

Twenty of them met in Tokyo to assess the impacts of the Hormuz Crisis on global trade, supply chains, and sustainable investment hosted by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s Regional Economic Programme Asia (SOPAS).

But on a more optimistic note, SE Asia economies are projected to grow by 4.8 per cent due to relocation of the supply chains and fallout from the US-China tensions, according to Dr Jaynant Menon from ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore.

Asia’s low-income people remain at the mercy of the high oil prices as the conflicts in the Middle East escalate. “Asia is highly exposed, vulnerable with welfare loss. There needs to be collective efforts…But I don’t see,” said Dr Prabir De from Research and Information System for Developing Countries, India.

With fragmented connectivity from oil supply disruption, a number of countries are exploring new maritime corridors, he said.

Countries have also moved to set economic security strategies. Dr Nathan Gray from Adelaide University, said Australia’s three pillars as an open-economy rests on national security with the US; economic resilience through connection with China; and future industry capabilities including mining, agriculture, and knowledge.

Other topics discussed at the two-day meeting were financial geopolitics and FDI; labour market and investment shifts; and global value chains. A public seminar ,was also held at the Okura Hotel attended by Japanese economists, members of Parliament and diplomats. Both events were joined by Philip Hoffmann, a member of the Bundestag who flew in from Germany to learn more about what’s happening in Asia.

Institute for Strategic Policy (ISP) were represented by Dr Darmp Sukontasap, who delivered a paper on the Thai economy; and Pana Janviroj.