Khaldon Azhari

TOKYO: The Arab share of Japan’s oil imports for May, as reported by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, amounted to 62.44 million barrels — 95.3 percent of all the oil Japan imported that month.  Imports during the month from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the neutral zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait further underscored the strategic importance of these countries in Japan’s energy security.

The UAE was Japan’s top oil supplier, contributing 46.2 percent of total imports

Kuwait and Qatar followed with 5.44 million barrels (8.3%) and 2.73 million barrels (4.2%). The Neutral Zone provided 0.7 per cent of Japan’s total imports.

Japan continued with its sanctions on importing oil from Iran and Russia in May. 

The remaining imports, 4.7 per cent, were sourced from a range of countries, including the US (3.2%), Central and South America (0.9%), Southeast Asia (0.4%), and Oceania (0.2%).