US crude oil arrives in Japan for 1st time since Iran crisis

News | International Posted on 2026-04-27 08:24:52

TOKYO – A shipment of crude oil from the United States reached Japan on Sunday, marking the first such delivery since tensions escalated following US attacks on Iran in late February, prompting Japan to seek alternative energy sources.

The cargo, consisting of 910,000 barrels of US crude, arrived at an offshore facility in Tokyo Bay as concerns grow over supply disruptions linked to the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route.

Despite the delivery, the volume represents less than a day’s oil consumption for Japan, highlighting the urgency for the government to diversify its supply sources beyond the Middle East.

The tanker left a port in Texas in late March and traveled for about a month, passing through the Panama Canal before reaching Japan.

The crude will be delivered via an undersea pipeline to a refinery in Chiba operated by Cosmo Oil Co., a unit of Cosmo Energy Holdings Co., where it will be processed into products such as gasoline for domestic distribution.

Japan, which depends on the Middle East for over 90 percent of its crude oil imports, is now accelerating efforts to secure supplies from other regions amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Authorities are looking to boost imports from alternative routes that avoid the Strait of Hormuz, as well as increase sourcing from North America, Central and South America, and Central Asia. Imports from the United States alone are projected to increase fourfold in May compared to the previous year.

NPO NEWS TEAM | PNA - PR

Share:

Writer :

Link :