Japan has restarted imports of Russian crude oil, with a tanker docking at a facility operated by Taiyo Oil in western Japan, signaling a strategic shift in its energy sourcing.
The shipment is the first since disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, triggered by tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, significantly affected global oil flows and supply chains.
The crude was sourced from the Sakhalin-2 project in Russia’s Far East, which is not covered by Western sanctions.
Officials said the procurement was carried out at the request of Japan’s trade ministry as part of efforts to secure alternative energy supplies.
The tanker arrived off the coast earlier in the week before docking in Imabari, where the crude will be refined into gasoline and other petroleum products.
The move highlights Japan’s push to diversify its energy sources and maintain stability in domestic fuel supply amid prolonged uncertainty in the Middle East.
