Japan Plans to Expand Oil Imports from Kazakhstan; Both Sides Explore Direct Supply Channels
From Kazinform: During a meeting held in Astana, Asqat Khasenov, Chairman of Kazakh National Oil and Gas Company, engaged in in-depth discussions with a delegation led by Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Arie Afia on enhancing energy cooperation between the two countries.
During the talks, both sides focused on the feasibility of directly exporting Kazakh oil to the Japanese market, including logistics routes and economic viability. Such cooperation is considered beneficial for diversifying Kazakhstan’s export channels, while also enhancing the stability of Japan’s energy supply.
Analysts point out that Japan currently relies on imports from the Middle East for over 90% of its oil, resulting in a highly concentrated supply structure. Under the backdrop of geopolitical risks, this heavy dependence could pose challenges to energy security. Therefore, Japan aims to achieve supply diversification by participating in Caspian Sea region energy projects.
Meanwhile, another major Asian economy, South Korea, is also showing increasing demand for Kazakh oil. According to a previous Reuters report, South Korea plans to purchase approximately 273 million barrels of oil via non-Hormuz Strait routes, with about 18 million barrels expected to come from Kazakhstan.
However, due to factors such as the Red Sea situation, Kazakhstan’s oil exports to South Korea have declined in recent years—from around 5 million tons to approximately 2 million tons. The Ministry of Energy previously stated that no agreement has yet been reached on a new oil trade deal between the two sides.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864496347582464/
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