Oil From Sunken Iran Tanker Reached Japan Shores

A rescue ship works to extinguish the fire on the stricken Iranian oil tanker Sanchi in the East China Sea, on Jan. 10, 2018 in this photo provided by Japan’s 10th Regional Coast Guard. 10th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters/Handout via Reuters

TOKYO—Oil that reached islands in southern Japan earlier this month is highly likely to have come from the sunken Iranian tanker Sanchi, the Japan Coast Guard said on Thursday.

Samples of oily matter that washed up on Feb. 8 on the shores of the Okinoerabu and Yoron islands in the Amami chain were found to be linked to the Sanchi’s sinking, the Coast Guard said.