Japan receives first crude oil shipment from Azerbaijan

A tanker carrying roughly 45,000 kiloliters of crude oil from Azerbaijan docked at an Eneos refinery in Yokohama on Tuesday, the energy company confirmed. This marks the first time Japan has imported oil directly from the Central Asian nation.

Japan is actively searching for new oil sources to reduce its dependence on the Middle East. The country's industry ministry cited the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war in Iran as a reason for the shift. Recently, Japan received shipments of U.S. oil in late April and Russian oil earlier this month.

The Azerbaijani crude adds to Japan's efforts to build a more stable and diverse energy supply. Officials at Eneos said the company will work alongside Japan's ministry and other government agencies to maintain reliable oil availability across the country.

Japan's oil sector is responding to growing concerns about supply disruptions in traditional shipping routes. By establishing new trade relationships and importing from multiple regions, the country aims to shield itself from potential shortages caused by geopolitical conflict.