LOC12:50
09:50 GMT
(With photo)
TOKYO, April 27 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's crude oil exports to Japan in March rose
to the highest level in three years to 1.67 million barrels, or 339,000
barrels per day (bpd), up 45.4 percent from a year earlier, the government
said Friday.
Kuwait's shipments to Japan saw the second straight month of growth and the
highest monthly volume since April 2009, when it shipped 1.68 million barrels
(353,000 bpd).
Kuwait overtook Iran to become Japan's fourth-biggest oil supplier last
month, providing 8.1 percent of the country's total crude imports, compared
with 6.2 percent in the same month of 2011 and 7.4 percent in February, the
Japanese Natural Resources and Energy Agency said in a preliminary report.
Japan's overall imports of crude oil grew 11.3 percent year-on-year to 4.21
million bpd for the second consecutive monthly expansion. Shipments from the
Middle East edged up 0.4 percent to 3.45 million bpd, and accounted for 82.0
percent of the total. Saudi Arabia remained Japan's top oil supplier, with
imports from the kingdom growing 14.4 percent from a year earlier to 1.38
million bpd, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 814,000 bpd, down 10.5
percent. Qatar ranked third with 399,000 bpd, down 5.7 percent.
Resources-poor Japan is the world's third-largest oil consumer after China
and the US. The country is buying more fossil fuels to meet electricity demand
as nearly all the 54 nuclear reactors have shut down following the Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in March last year. (end)
mk.gta
KUNA 271250 Apr 12NNNN