Japan’s Oil Imports Dominated by Arab Nations
In a recent report by the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, it was revealed that Japan imported a total of 62.54 million barrels of oil in June. What’s more interesting is that a staggering 96.3 percent of this oil came from Arab countries, amounting to 60.26 million barrels.
Among the Arab nations, Saudi Arabia and the UAE stood out as the major contributors to Japan’s oil imports. Saudi Arabia supplied 25.82 million barrels, making up 41.3 percent of the total, while the UAE closely followed with 25.84 million barrels.
The report also highlighted the significant role played by five Arab countries – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman – along with the Neutral Zone, in meeting Japan’s energy needs. Kuwait contributed 5.21 million barrels (8.3 percent), Qatar provided 2.44 million barrels (3.9 percent), Oman supplied 0.5 million barrels (0.8 percent), and the Neutral Zone accounted for 0.7 percent of the total imports.
It’s worth noting that Japan maintained its ban on importing oil from Iran and Russia in June, resulting in diversification of its oil sources. The country turned to the United States (1.4 percent), Central and South America (1.6 percent), Southeast Asia (0.5 percent), and Oceania (0.2 percent) to meet its remaining oil needs.