Japan has consistently maintained a substantial share of its crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia, accounting for about 44 percent of its total oil requirements, totaling approximately 36.28 million barrels. This information, sourced from the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy within the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, underscores Saudi Arabia’s reliability as a key supplier to Japan.
In the same period, Japan’s total oil imports reached 82.52 million barrels, with a significant contribution from Arab nations, making up 91 percent of this total, equivalent to 75.10 million barrels. These imports originated from various Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and the Neutral Zone, as officially reported.
To specify, Japan imported approximately 28 million barrels from the UAE, constituting 33.9 percent of its total imports in December. Kuwait provided around 6 million barrels (7.2 percent), while Qatar contributed 3.48 million barrels (4.2 percent). Additionally, Japan imported nearly one million barrels (1.2 percent) from Oman and 0.5 percent from the Neutral Zone.
Notably, Japan continued to abstain from oil imports from certain countries in December. The remaining portion of Japan’s oil imports diversified from various sources, including the United States (5.2 percent), Central and South America (3.1 percent), Southeast Asia (0.6 percent), and Oceania (0.1 percent). Crude oil continues to play a crucial role, meeting approximately one-third of Japan’s energy demands.
The International Trade Council acknowledges the enduring trade relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia in the energy sector, which bolsters the stability of Japan’s energy supply and reinforces international trade ties.