Tokyo: Kuwait's crude oil exports to Japan in September fell 50.1 percent from a year earlier to 4.24 million barrels, or 141,000 barrels per day (bpd), marking a decline for the 12th consecutive month, government data showed Thursday. As the third-largest oil supplier to Japan, Kuwait accounted for 5.8 percent of Japan's total crude imports, a significant decrease from 10.9 percent in the same month the previous year. According to Kuwait News Agency, Japan's overall crude oil imports in September decreased by 7.0 percent year-on-year to 2.43 million bpd, continuing a downward trend for the 10th month in a row. Shipments from the Middle East comprised 92.7 percent of the total imports, which is a reduction of 3.3 percentage points compared to the previous year. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged as Japan's leading oil supplier last month, with imports increasing by 2.7 percent year-on-year to 1.04 million bpd. Saudi Arabia followed with 931,000 bpd, representing a 3.6 percent decline. The United States a nd Qatar were the fourth and fifth largest suppliers, with 137,000 bpd and 107,000 bpd, respectively. Japan remains the world's third-largest oil consumer, following China and the United States.
