Tanker carrying Azerbaijani oil expected to arrive in Japan within days

A tanker carrying Azerbaijani crude oil is expected to arrive in Japan as early as Tuesday, marking the country’s first oil shipment from Central Asia since the start of the Iran war earlier this year.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the cargo is destined for ENEOS and will arrive at the Negishi refinery in Yokohama. The shipment contains around 45,000 kilolitres of crude oil.

Japan has moved to diversify crude imports after disruptions in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz sharply reduced supplies from the Middle East, which previously accounted for about 95% of the country’s oil imports.

Japanese officials said the Azerbaijani cargo is the first delivered to Japan since the conflict involving Iran began in February. Tokyo has also increased imports from the United States and resumed limited purchases from Russia’s Sakhalin-2 project, which remains exempt from sanctions.

As of May 8, Japan held strategic oil reserves equivalent to 205 days of domestic consumption, according to ministry data.