Where does Japan import oil from in 2026?

Japan oil import data: What stands out in 2026?

• The United States is the largest recorded origin for Japan oil import by country in 2026 at US$2.00 billion, holding an 88.13% share of recorded HS 2709 crude value,
• Mexico is the second recorded origin at US$0.27 billion, supplied through Petroleos Mexicanos, and completes the recorded HS 2709 crude line for the period.
• Recorded crude value reached US$2.27 billion across the January to June 2026 period, with both origins carrying the single 6-digit crude line 270900.
• Away from the recorded origins, Japan's crude imports fell to a record-low 853,329 barrels per day in April 2026, down 65.7% year on year, after Strait of Hormuz disruption held back Gulf cargoes, based on Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry data reported by S&P Global.

Where does Japan import oil from 2026? Japan oil import by country

Based on TradeInt's Japan crude oil import data in H1 2026, Japan imports oil mainly from the United States at US$2.00 billion and Mexico at US$0.27 billion under HS 2709. These two origins account for the recorded crude value in the period.

Both recorded origins ship the same 6-digit crude line, 270900, with the United States far ahead of Mexico by value.

Top recorded Japan oil import origins in H1 2026:

1. United States (HS 2709) - US$2.00 billion: the leading recorded origin, supplied through Occidental Energy Marketing Inc.
2. Mexico (HS 2709) - US$0.27 billion: the second recorded origin, supplied through Petroleos Mexicanos.

Japan's recorded origins in the TradeInt data reflect the country's 2026 pivot toward non-Gulf crude. Japan also imports oil heavily from the Middle East, yet the recorded HS 2709 value here concentrates on American and Mexican barrels rather than seaborne Gulf cargoes.

In 2025, Japan sourced 94% of its crude from the Middle East, according to Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry figures cited by Reuters. The recorded non-Gulf origins therefore capture the newer, diversifying flows rather than Japan's traditional supply base.

A few points worth noting about Japan's oil origins in 2026:

• Middle East cargoes were cut off: In April 2026, shipments from top supplier Saudi Arabia fell 59% year on year, and UAE crude tumbled 70.4%, as most Gulf cargoes failed to clear the Strait of Hormuz. This left non-Gulf origins carrying more of the recorded flow.
• Refiners turned to alternative grades: Japanese refiners secured prompt US crude from the second week of March 2026, taking the shorter Pacific route via the Panama Canal. Diversification moved American barrels up the recorded list.
• Supply security drove policy: Japan and South Korea agreed in May 2026 to cooperate on oil procurement and swaps, leaning on South Korean expertise in North American crude. Regional coordination supported the shift toward non-Gulf supply.

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Top 1: United States

The United States is Japan's largest recorded crude origin in 2026, and the position traces directly to Gulf supply disruption. As Middle East routes tightened, Japanese refiners moved quickly to secure American barrels outside the contested Strait of Hormuz.

In April 2026, Japan imported 63,754 barrels per day of WTI Midland crude from the United States, up 22% from March. The country's refiners took the shorter Pacific route via the Panama Canal to speed delivery.

Because US crude ships from the Gulf Coast rather than through Hormuz, it gave refiners a route around the disruption that cut Middle East volumes. Japan's refining industry set a target of at least three cargoes a month, close to 200,000 barrels per day of US crude, across 2026.

Here are the market highlights shaping the US corridor in 2026:

• US supply climbed against the trend: American crude reached 7.5% of Japan's April intake, one of the few origins to grow while Gulf shipments fell sharply. Route security lifted its recorded weight.
• Refiners set a firm target: Japan's industry aimed for roughly 200,000 barrels per day of US crude in 2026, up from far smaller volumes a year earlier. The goal signalled a lasting shift rather than a one-off.
• South Korea added logistics support: A Ulsan-based refiner sold WTI Midland and Mars Blend cargoes to a Japanese buyer in mid-2026, drawing on North American crude expertise. Regional trading depth eased the pivot.

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Top 2: Mexico

Mexico is Japan's second recorded crude origin in 2026, and the flow marks a fresh reopening rather than a standing trade. The first Mexican cargo in years followed a direct agreement between the two governments.

In July 2026, a Cosmo Oil tanker carrying 1 million barrels of Mexican Isthmus crude reached Japan's Yokkaichi refinery, the first Mexican crude to arrive in 2023. The cargo followed an April agreement between President Claudia Sheinbaum and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Because the Red Sea and Gulf routes remained disrupted, the tanker took the long detour around the Cape of Good Hope to reach Japan. That routing shows how far refiners went to secure non-Middle East supply during the crisis.

Three points worth noting about the Mexico corridor:

• A dormant lane reopened: Mexico had not sent significant crude to Japan since a sale in October 2023, making the 2026 cargo a notable restart. The reopening widened Japan's supplier map.
• State trading handled the flow: The supply moved through PMI, the commercial arm of Petroleos Mexicanos, loading from the Pajaritos terminal. Counterparty clarity helped confirm the deal quickly.
• Volumes stay limited: Mexico exported only about 2,700 barrels per day to Far East destinations earlier in 2026, near 4% of its total, leaving a thin export surplus. The corridor supplements rather than replaces core supply.

How much oil does Japan import? H1 2025 vs H1 2026 data

Japan's oil value in H1 2026 reached US$2.27 billion across the January to June 2026 period under HS 2709, powered by TradeInt's Japan import data. The recorded total reflects inbound crude shipments concentrated in the United States and Mexico.

Japan's headline crude imports moved sharply in 2026, and one event drove the swing. In April 2026, imports fell to a record-low 853,329 barrels per day, down 65.7% year on year, after a Strait of Hormuz disruption cut Gulf cargoes, based on trade-ministry data reported by S&P Global. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Japan's two largest suppliers, saw April shipments drop 59% and 70.4%, respectively.

Meanwhile, Japan leaned on its stockpiles to hold supply steady. In July 2026, strategic crude reserves rose to 202 days of consumption, up three days on the month, after earlier drawdowns through April to June, based on Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry data reported by Reuters. The reserve depth let Japan manage the shortfall without deeper cuts.

As a result, Japan's supply plan shifted toward diversification. Refiners raised US and Mexican purchases, tapped reserves, and coordinated with South Korea, even as Middle East cargoes began returning over the second quarter.

Key observations on Japan's oil import trend in 2026:

• April marked the low point: Japan's crude imports fell 65.7% year on year in April 2026, the weakest since online records began in 1989. Gulf supply loss drove the trough.
• Reserves gave room to manage: Japan held 202 days of oil reserves in July 2026, among the largest buffers of any importer. Inventory depth shaped the response to the crisis.
• Recovery leaned on non-Gulf crude: Japan's crude procurement was projected to approach 2 million barrels per day from June 2026 as delayed cargoes and US supply arrived. Diversified sourcing supported the rebound.

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Who are Japan's biggest oil buyers? 2026 data

From TradeInt's verified list of Japan oil buyers in 2026, P M I Comercio Internacional S A de C V is one of the leading importers, at an 11.87% share. The trading arm handles Mexican crude sales into the Japanese market.

How can importers use Japan oil import data?

Importers use Japan oil import data to find new suppliers, verify counterparties, and plan sourcing at the shipment level. TradeInt makes these records searchable across 10B+ shipment records and 470M+ verified business profiles, so a country total becomes the underlying consignments behind it, searchable by HS code, origin, supplier, and buyer.

Here is how crude importers serving MNCs, FDI-backed operations, and state energy projects put the data to work:

• Source alternative origins: Search recorded crude flows to find origins that can replace disrupted Gulf supply, using the 2026 shift toward United States and Mexican barrels to spot where volume is available.
• Verify a supplier before negotiating: Look up the national oil company or trading arm behind a crude cargo, such as Pemex or its commercial arm, and check its shipment history before opening a term contract.
• Plan routes and landed cost: Trace how cargoes reroute around chokepoints, from Panama Canal transits to Cape of Good Hope detours, to estimate freight, transit time, and delivered cost.
• Benchmark against rival importers: Compare which origins and suppliers other importers are drawing on, and track where sourcing concentrates or spreads by period.

These records give importers, procurement, and strategy teams a shipment-level view that aggregate statistics cannot match.

Conclusion

Japan oil import by country in 2026 concentrate on the United States at US$2.00 billion and Mexico at US$0.27 billion in recorded crude value under HS 2709, for a total of US$2.27 billion across the January to June period, with crude oil the single product line carrying the flows.

Because Strait of Hormuz disruption cut Middle East seaborne cargoes through 2026, Japan pivoted toward non-Gulf origins, lifting American and Mexican barrels up the recorded list while it drew on strategic reserves and coordinated with South Korea to hold supply steady.

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Frequently asked questions

Where does Japan import its oil from?

Japan's largest recorded crude origins in 2026 are the United States at US$2.00 billion and Mexico at US$0.27 billion under HS 2709. These recorded flows reflect a 2026 pivot toward non-Gulf supply, though Japan sourced 94% of its crude from the Middle East in 2025.

How much oil does Japan import?

Japan's recorded crude value reached US$2.27 billion across the January to June 2026 period. Volumes swung sharply during the year, falling to a record-low 853,329 barrels per day in April 2026, down 65.7% year on year, after Strait of Hormuz disruption cut Gulf cargoes.

What percentage of oil does Japan import from the Middle East?

Japan sourced 94% of its crude oil from the Middle East in 2025, mainly from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. That dependence pushed Japan to diversify in 2026, adding United States and Mexican crude as Strait of Hormuz disruption held back Gulf shipments.