Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan’s crude oil imports from the United Arab Emirates in June 2025 totaled a little over 31 million barrels, which accounted for 52.1 percent of the total imports, a record percentage for crude oil imports from the UAE, according to figures published by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry’s Agency of Natural Resources and Energy.

In a surprise announcement, Japan imported crude oil from Russia for the first time in about three years, although the amount was only about 600,000 barrels, or 1 percent of total imports.

Japan’s imports of Saudi oil in June amounted to 19.65 million barrels, representing a third, or 33 percent of the total.

The strategic importance of Arab countries in Japan’s energy security continues be significant. The main contribution was from five Arab countries – the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Sudan, in addition to the Neutral Zone. For the second month in a row, there was no oil imported from Oman, the data showed.

In June numbers, Japan imported a total 59.6 million oil barrels, of which the Arab share was 97.7 percent or 58.2 million barrels, 

Kuwait and Qatar contributed 3.58 million barrels (6 percent) and 3.4 million barrels (5.8 percent), respectively, while the Neutral Zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait provided 0.7 percent of Japan’s total imports. Sudan provided 0.5 percent as an Arabic source from Africa.

The rest of Japan’s oil imports in June were sourced from the United States of America (0.5 percent), and Malaysia (0.3 percent).