Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan’s imports of crude oil from the UAE in January amounted to 31.58 million barrels, or 41.9 percent of total imports, according to the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy that belongs Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

This means the UAE was the top crude oil provider to Japan in January. Japan imports of Saudi crude oil came to 29.15 million barrels, or 38.6 percent of total imports. 

During January, Japan imported 75.43 million barrels of oil, of which the Arab share was 92.8 percent, or 69.97 million barrels imported from GCC countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.

Kuwait provided 5.61 million barrels (7.4 percent) and Qatar 2.64 million barrels (3.5 percent). Japan imported 0.7 percent of total crude imports from Oman and 0.6 percent from Bahrain.

With the Japanese ban on importing oil from Iran and Russia continuing, the rest of Japan’s oil imports came from the United States (5.4 percent), Central and South America (0.9percent), Southeast Asia (0.6 percent) and Oceania (0.4 percent).

Crude oil generates about a third of Japan’s energy needs, which make Arab oil crucial for Japan’s energy security.