Japan oil imports from Iran fall over 32 pct in February
Japan's crude oil imports from Iran in February fell 32.3
percent from a year earlier to 953,848 kilolitres (214,268 barrels
per day), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) data
showed on Friday, as the world's third-biggest oil consumer seeks a
waiver from U.S. sanctions, Reuters reported.
Japan's Ministry of Finance recently issued customs-cleared imports
data from Iran, but the oil industry considers METI data as a
benchmark because it tracks the actual import status of oil
tankers.
The West suspects Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran
says its nuclear program is for power generation and medical
purposes.
Japan, the world's third largest oil consumer, slashed Iranian
imports last year by 40 percent to about 190,000 barrels per day,
even as its total oil imports rose 2.7 percent.