The US-Iran conflict is expected to have significant effects on Asia, which relies heavily on energy imports, and may particularly impact Japan, a key US ally. China may also benefit from the crisis, emerging stronger as a result.

The law of unintended consequences, a theory popularised by American sociologist Robert K Merton, has rarely been more applicable to any situation than to US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. Those consequences will be far greater than generally imagined. Their impact will fall heavily on Asia, the world’s most energy-import-dependent region and will almost certainly hurt US ally Japan more than it will the US’ main rival, China. Indeed, China may even emerge from the crisis with an...