Oil in Japan

Japan has very few natural resources, and that includes oil. They produce only about six percent of our requirements. They are dependent on imports for ninety-four percent of the oil they need. Three-quarters of it comes from the Middle East. They also get some oil from Indonesia, and some from China. They are looking for new sources of oil all the time.

It means they're especially vulnerable during an oil crisis. Sharp increases in the price of imported oil can have serious effects in Japan. And so can the cutting off of some of the supply. The international oil situation is of great concern to Japanese.

They are looking for alternate energy sources. We have been exploring every possibility, both to get new sources of oil, and also to develop new sources of energy. This includes everything from the use of coal again to the development of nuclear energy.