Japan Imports Russian Crude Oil Amid Mideast Turmoil

(MENAFN) Japan is set to receive its first shipment of Russian crude oil since the eruption of the Middle East conflict in February, as a deepening global energy emergency continues to strain import-reliant economies across Asia.

A tanker loaded with oil originating from Russia's Far East is currently en route to Japan, an official from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry confirmed to The Mainichi, a leading Japanese news outlet.

The cargo is sourced from the Sakhalin-2 project — a major energy development operated under Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom — in which Japanese conglomerates Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsui & Co. hold significant stakes. Domestic wholesaler Taiyo Oil Co. purchased the shipment.

Crucially, the Russian crude falls outside the scope of sanctions imposed by Washington and Brussels following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, clearing a legal pathway for the transaction to proceed.

Vessel-tracking platform Marine Traffic indicates the tanker departed Sakhalin in late April and is bound for Ehime Prefecture in western Japan, according to the ministry official.

The purchase comes against the backdrop of a severe disruption to global energy supply chains. Iran sealed off the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 28 after the United States and Israel launched military operations against Tehran. Washington subsequently imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, which remains active. The strategic chokepoint carries approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply.

While a ceasefire agreement is nominally in effect, maritime traffic through the vital corridor remains heavily constrained, forcing energy-dependent nations to urgently seek alternative supply routes.

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