Japan: Oil imports from the Middle East hit a record low.

Data released by the Japanese government on May 21st showed that the country's crude oil imports from the Middle East in April 2026 plummeted by more than 67% compared to the same period last year, reaching a record low for the month.

An oil refinery in Iran. Photo: IRNA/VNA

According to preliminary statistics from Japan's Ministry of Finance , the country imported only 3.84 billion liters of oil in April. This is the lowest volume since comparative data began to be collected in 1979. The Middle East typically accounts for more than 90% of Japan's oil purchases.

Since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, Japan has accelerated its efforts to find alternative fuel sources, including from the United States. As a result, the value of Japan's oil imports from the US has increased by 118.2% compared to the same period last year.

The report also showed that Japan recorded a trade surplus of 301.9 billion yen (equivalent to $1.9 billion) in April, marking the third consecutive month of surplus. This result was driven by continued strong export growth, with particularly high demand for semiconductors and other electronic devices in Asian markets.

Specifically, Japan's exports increased by 14.8% to 10.51 trillion yen, while imports rose by 9.7% to 10.21 trillion yen due to increased imports of petroleum products from South Korea.

Although overall export value increased, Japan's exports to the Middle East fell by 55.5% to 139.49 billion yen. This decline was mainly due to a sharp 90.4% drop in automobile exports to the region.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/nhat-ban-nhap-khau-dau-mo-tu-trung-dong-cham-muc-thap-ky-luc-20260521150650190.htm