Japan receives new shipment of Russian oil as Hormuz instability deepens

A tanker named Voyager has delivered another shipment of Russian crude oil to the Japan's Kiire terminal operated by ENEOS, according to TASS, citing ship tracking services.

Earlier in May, the same vessel also supplied crude oil to Japanese companies Taiyo Oil and Idemitsu Kosan. Company officials said the purchases were driven by the need to diversify supply sources. ENEOS clarified that the decision for additional deliveries was made at the request of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry amid instability in the Middle East.

After 2022, Japan officially halted imports of Russian crude oil, but authorities still allow limited purchases linked to the Sakhalin-2 project, which is tied to LNG supplies.

Japanese companies are now increasingly turning to Russian crude due to disruptions in Middle Eastern supply chains. More than 90% of Japan’s oil imports come from the region, with a significant share passing through the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz.

By Jeyhun Aghazada