In a landmark energy decision, Japan has announced it will begin its biggest-ever oil release from strategic reserves this week, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirming the move on social media. The release totals around 80 million barrels, covering the equivalent of 45 days of national oil demand. It comes as Middle East hostilities between the US, Israel, and Iran threaten to choke off tanker routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
As a resource-scarce nation, Japan imports more than nine-tenths of its crude oil from the Middle East, leaving it acutely exposed to any prolonged closure of the strait. The government has been watching the conflict escalate with growing alarm and has now activated its largest-ever emergency energy response. Both state and private-sector reserves are being mobilized to ensure domestic refiners remain operational.
The scale of this release surpasses even the emergency drawdowns that followed the catastrophic Fukushima earthquake and tsunami in 2011, by a factor of 1.8. Japan’s total reserves stand at around 470 million barrels — equivalent to 254 days of domestic consumption — providing significant buffer capacity. The government’s move reflects a calculated decision to act early before shortages materialize.
Fuel subsidies have been introduced to hold gasoline prices near ¥170 per litre after they climbed to an all-time high of ¥190.8. On the consumer front, social media posts have fueled anxiety around toilet paper availability, prompting the trade ministry to issue reassurances. Industry representatives confirmed that nearly all Japanese toilet paper is domestically produced and unaffected by Middle East supply chains.
Prime Minister Takaichi has maintained a diplomatic stance, declining Trump’s request to deploy Japanese maritime forces to the Strait of Hormuz under constitutional grounds. Japan will instead channel its efforts through diplomatic coordination with allied nations. The government remains focused on protecting both its economy and its citizens during this period of global uncertainty.