Arab News Japan
TOKYO: Crude oil imported from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates represented 85 percent of Japan’s total imports in March, according to the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy that belongs to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
Another 10 percent Japan’s needs were also from Arab sources: Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, as well as the Neutral Zone. The share of Arab oil imports to Japan was nearly 95 percent, reinforcing the crucial importance of GCC countries for Japan’s energy security.
Crude oil represents about a third of Japan’s energy needs.
Japan imported about 32.77 million barrels from the UAE, or 44.1 percent of total imports, in March. Saudi crude oil amounted to 30.51 million barrels, or 41 percent of total imports,
During March, Japan imported about 74.39 million barrels of oil, of which the Arab share was 94.7 percent, or 70.45 million barrels.
Kuwait provided 5.12 million barrels (6.9 percent) and Qatar 1.56 million barrels (2.1 percent). Japan imported 0.1 percentfrom Oman and 0.6 percent from the Neutral Zone.
With the Japanese ban on importing oil from Iran and Russia continuing in March, the rest of Japan’s oil imports came from the United States of America (4.1 percent), Central and South America (0.9 percent), and Oceania (0.3 percent).