Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The UAE and Saudi Arabia supplied 76.7% of the total Japanese crude oil imports, a record for the two Arab countries feeding over three-quarters of Japan oil needs in August 2021, according to data from the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy belonging to the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

In August, the share of UAE amounted to 33.2 million barrels or 39.7% of the total imports, while Saudi Arabia provided 31.37 million barrels or 37%, the agency said.

Showing an increasing trend for oil imports, Japan imported 84.84 million barrels during that month compared to 64.68 million barrels imported one month earlier in July 2021.

According to the data, the share of Arab oil in August 2021 remains high at 92.1% of total Japanese imports, or nearly 78.09 million barrels provided by 7 Arab countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Algeria.

Imports from Qatar equaled 6.13 million barrels or 6.7% of total imports, while Kuwait provided 5.13 million barrels, or 6.1% of the total. Bahrain and Oman provided 1.4% and 1.2% of the total, respectively, the data said. Algeria’s share was 1.1% of the total in August.

The only European source, Russia provided 2.45 million barrels of crude oil or 2.9% of the Japanese total. Ecuador supplied Japan with 1.45million barrels or 1.7%% of the total imports. Japan also imported 700 thousand oil barrels from the USA that amounted to 0.8% of the total.

Countries of Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, provided Japan with 1.12 million barrels or 1.2% of the total imports.

The figures cited represent the quantities of oil that arrived at refineries, tanks, and warehouses located at ports in Japan during August 2021.