Doha: Kuwait's crude oil exports to Japan in October surged by 140.6 percent from the previous year, reaching 4.91 million barrels or 158,000 barrels per day (bpd), marking an increase for the first time in two months, as per government data released on Friday.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Kuwait, which stands as Japan's third-largest oil supplier, contributed 6.7 percent to Japan's total crude imports in October, a significant rise from 3.1 percent in the same month last year, as indicated by a preliminary report from the Japanese Natural Resources and Energy Agency.
Japan's overall crude oil imports in October saw an 11.0 percent increase from the previous year, totaling 2.38 million bpd, marking the first expansion in five months. Shipments from the Middle East comprised 93.7 percent of Japan's total oil imports, reflecting a decrease of 4.1 percentage points from the previous year.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) led as Japan's top oil supplier for the month, with imports rising by 8.0 percent year-on-year to 1.11 million bpd. Saudi Arabia followed with 820,000 bpd, although this represented an 8.5 percent decrease. Qatar and the US were ranked fourth and fifth, supplying 129,000 bpd and 106,000 bpd, respectively.
Japan, which has negligible domestic crude production, relies heavily on imports to satisfy its oil requirements. The nation is recognized as the world's third-largest oil consumer, following China and the US.