EnergyCountry pushes to procure fuel from alternative sources such as USJapan imported 3.84 million kiloliters of oil in April, the lowest volume since comparable data became available in 1979. © ReutersMay 21, 2026 13:34 JSTTOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's crude oil imports from the Middle East plunged over 67% in volume in April from a year earlier, the lowest single-month level on record, government data showed Thursday, underscoring severe supply disruptions caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.The country, which has relied on the region for more than 90% of its oil purchases, imported 3.84 million kiloliters of oil in April, the lowest volume since comparable data became available in 1979, according to preliminary trade statistics data by the Finance Ministry.Japan logged a trade surplus of 301.9 billion yen ($1.9 billion) in April for the third straight month in the black, driven by continued robust exports, with particularly strong demand for semiconductors and other electronic devices in other parts of Asia, the data showed.Exports rose 14.8% to 10.51 trillion yen in the month, while imports increased 9.7% to 10.21 trillion yen, buoyed by higher petroleum product imports from South Korea.Since the Middle East conflict, Japan has accelerated efforts to procure fuel from alternative sources, including the United States.The value of Japanese oil imports from the United States increased by 118.2% from a year earlier.While overall exports rose, shipments to the Middle East fell 55.5% to 139.49 billion yen, a decline primarily driven by a 90.4% drop in passenger car exports.