Energy security on Asia tour: Australian minister

SYDNEY – Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Sunday she will tour Japan, China and South Korea this week to shore up trade and energy ties as an oil supply squeeze pressures the Asia-Pacific region.

Iran choked off crude oil shipments through the key Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Israel launched a war against the Islamic republic on Feb. 28, sparking a worldwide surge in energy prices.

“The Middle East conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt global energy markets, with Asian refineries and…