It usually takes two months or more for the first to reach the Japanese island of Tsushima, in the middle of the strait between South Korea and Kyushu.

ECONOMIST: A netful of trouble for Japanese fishermen

Last autumn, the Japanese-owned Tenyu sailed out of the Malacca Strait bound for South Korea with 1, 500 tonnes of aluminium ingots.

ECONOMIST: Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rice wine

South Korea's Kospi was 0.2% lower and Singapore's Strait Times Index added 0.1%.

WSJ: Nikkei Rises on Weaker Yen

South Korea's Kospi Composite fell 0.5% to 1993.34 and Singapore's Strait Times index was last up 0.4%.

WSJ: Asian Shares Fall; Liquidity Concerns Hit Shanghai

South Korea's Kospi Composite ended up 0.5% at 1993.44 and Singapore's Strait Times index was last up 0.6%.

WSJ: Mining Stocks Lift Australian Market