Japan’s crude oil imports climbed 17% year-on-year in July to 2.38 million barrels per day, according to data released Monday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The increase marks the second consecutive monthly rise in imports, driven by a surge in shipments from the United States and a rebound in purchases from Saudi Arabia. Imports from the Middle East, however, declined 21.4%, reflecting shifting supply dynamics.
The Middle East accounted for 94% of Japan’s crude imports in 2025, but its share fell to 58.9% in July, continuing a decade-long trend of declining regional dominance. Shipments from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Japan’s two largest suppliers in the region, dropped 18.4% and 7.4% respectively. The decline in Middle Eastern imports was less severe than in prior months, with decreases of 68% in April, 49.7% in May, and 32.4% in June.
Imports from the United States surged nearly fivefold from a year earlier to 879,800 barrels per day, offsetting reduced flows from other Middle Eastern producers. Japan also received crude oil from Ecuador, Mexico, Vietnam, and South Sudan during the month.
