Japan to diversify crude supplies, back Mideast pipelines in resilience effort, media say
An aerial view shows the Idemitsu Maru, an oil tanker operated by a unit of major Japanese petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan Co. and a very large crude carrier (VLCC) carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi oil, arrives after transiting the Strait of Hormuz in late April, at a refinery off Chita, Aichi prefecture, Japan, May 25, 2026. Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN.
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
TOKYO, Aug 26 : Japan is set to unveil on Wednesday a comprehensive plan to boost resilience of its energy supply, with steps such as diversifying crude oil procurement and supporting Middle East pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, media said.
The plan will be outlined at a meeting of the government’s Green Transformation (GX) Implementation Council, Kyodo news agency said.
• Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi set an end of August deadline for preparation of a package to beef up energy resilience after the Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz highlighted Japan’s heavy reliance on Middle Eastern crude.
• On Tuesday Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa said the plan featured measures to cut dependence on supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as bolster non-fossil fuel energy supplies.
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
• A scheme to diversify crude procurement will see companies share the higher transport costs of importing alternative oil from outside the strait, the Nikkei business daily said.
• Japan will also cooperate with Middle Eastern countries on pipeline projects to bypass the strait through the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), Kyodo and Nikkei said.
• The plan also aims to build strategic stockpiles of naphtha, Kyodo said, after shortages of the petrochemical feedstock, used in plastics and printing inks, forced some companies to suspend sales or simplify packaging.
• The industry ministry, which was charged with drafting the plan, was not immediately available for comment.
• Middle East imports supplied 94 per cent of Japan’s crude oil in 2025, with 93 per cent going through the Strait.
Source: Reuters
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
About The Author
