Japan has activated its most comprehensive energy crisis plan ever, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announcing the country will begin its biggest-ever oil release from national strategic stockpiles this Thursday. About 80 million barrels — the equivalent of 45 days of Japan’s domestic oil demand — will be directed to domestic refiners. The government is acting in response to threats to the Strait of Hormuz posed by the US-Israel military campaign against Iran.
Japan’s near-complete dependence on the Middle East for over 90% of its crude oil makes the current situation especially alarming. The government has been watching the conflict’s impact on tanker routes with growing concern and approved the release of 15 days of private-sector reserves last week as a preliminary step. This state-level release brings the total emergency response to an unprecedented scale.
At 1.8 times the size of Japan’s previous record drawdown — which followed the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe in 2011 — this release is truly historic. Japan’s total oil reserve currently sits at approximately 470 million barrels, representing 254 days of normal domestic consumption. The government has made ensuring continued supply to domestic refiners its primary operational goal during the crisis.
To ease the financial strain on consumers, the government has introduced fuel subsidies that cap gasoline at approximately ¥170 per litre, after prices hit a record ¥190.8. Social media speculation has led some consumers to fear shortages of everyday items like toilet paper, but the trade ministry and the Japan Household Paper Industry Association have been clear: supply is secure. The industry pointed out that 97% of Japan’s toilet paper is domestically manufactured using recycled materials, with no reliance on Middle Eastern imports.
Japan has taken a diplomatic approach to the crisis, with Takaichi declining Trump’s request for Japanese naval involvement at the Strait of Hormuz, citing constitutional restrictions. Tokyo has pledged to work alongside international partners to promote stability in the Middle East. Japan’s strategy — protecting supply, stabilizing prices, and pursuing peace — remains the government’s guiding framework for managing the crisis.