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Japan May crude import volume up 27%, but energy imports from Russia fall

Japan’s customs-cleared crude oil imports rose 26.7% in May from the same month a year earlier, the Ministry of Finance said on
Thursday. Japan, the world’s fourth-biggest crude buyer, imported 2.47 million barrels per day (12.182 million kilolitres) of crude oil last month, the preliminary data showed.

Japan’s imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) totalled 5.76 million tonnes last month, up 16.3% from a year earlier. Imports of thermal coal for power generation increased by 7.1% in May to 8.546 million tonnes, the data showed.

But energy imports from Russia fell in May from a year earlier, with oil imports sliding 34.9% to 49,304 bpd (234,000 kl), LNG dropping 5.4% to 559,000 tonnes and thermal coal plunging 41.3% to 666,000 tonnes. Japan has decided to ban imports of Russian coal and oil in stages to be in line with other Group of Seven (G7) nations to counter Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, leaving just LNG.

Following is a preliminary breakdown of energy imports for last month, with volumes of crude, oil products and gasoline/naphtha in million kilolitres; LNG, LPG and coal in million tonnes; values in million yen.

May figures

Fuel Volume Yr/Yr (%) Value Yr/Yr (%)

Mineral Fuels n/a n/a 2,629,856 147.8

Crude Oil 12.182 26.7 1,066,791 147.2
Oil Products n/a n/a 236,015 42.7

(Mogas/Naphtha) 2.228 -24.7 195,980 43.0

LNG 5.76 16.3 601,404 154.7

LPG 0.928 15.5 106,915 112.4

Coal 14.178 3.9 609,459 267.7

(Thermal Coal) 8.546 7.1 326,566 249.9
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Jon Boyle)

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