Reply #16: Japan's crude oil imports drop 6.7% in May, 1st fall in 4 months

[Ghost Dog]

(Kyodo) _ Japan's crude oil imports fell 6.7 percent in May from a year earlier to 123.35 million barrels for the first drop in four months, the Natural Resources and Energy Agency said Friday.

Imports from the Middle East accounted for 88.1 percent of the total, down 1.1 percentage points from the same month last year, the unit of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a preliminary report.

Saudi Arabia was Japan's biggest oil supplier in May, with its exports to Japan rising 3.9 percent from a year before to 35.16 million barrels, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 29.37 million barrels, down 6.6 percent.

Iran ranked third with exports to Japan slipping 8.7 percent to 16.48 million barrels.

Qatar came fourth with shipments from that country falling 12.2 percent to 12.14 million barrels, followed by Kuwait with 10.94 million barrels, down 10.5 percent.

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