Japan Resumes Russian Oil Imports
(MENAFN) After a break of more than two years, Japan has restarted its importation of crude oil from Russia, a news agency reported on Thursday.
The delivery was made via a tanker named Voyager, which is currently subject to sanctions imposed by both the United States and the European Union.
Ship-tracking company Kpler revealed that the Voyager transported the crude oil to a refinery operated by Taiyo Oil on June 8.
Taiyo Oil confirmed the transaction and stated that the purchase had been made “at the request of the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy.”
This agency is part of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A representative from the ministry validated this claim.
The crude oil was sourced in late May from the Sakhalin 2 oil and gas venture.
While most countries avoid dealings with sanctioned entities, Japan is permitted to proceed with this import because the supply is deemed crucial to maintaining its energy stability.
A ministry spokesperson clarified that they had verified with U.S. authorities that “due to a waiver,” the transaction would not trigger any “secondary sanctions,” despite the use of a sanctioned tanker.
Prior to the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Japan had been a regular buyer of Russian oil.
Even though Japan was granted a special exemption from the U.S. and EU based on energy security needs, the country had not received any shipments since January 2023.
In a related development, China voiced opposition on Thursday to Western sanctions imposed on Russia.
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