Japan to Coordinate With US in Setting Caps on Russian Oil Prices: Official

Japan to Coordinate With US in Setting Caps on Russian Oil Prices: Official
President Joe Biden (R) reviews an honor guard with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (L) during a welcome ceremony for Biden at the Akasaka State Guest House in Tokyo, on May 23, 2022. (Eugene Hoshiko/Pool/Getty Images)

Japan has agreed to coordinate with the United States in setting a price cap on Russian oil exports to pressure Moscow to halt its aggression against Ukraine, according to a Japanese official.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit on Sunday and agreed on the importance of setting a price cap on Russian oil, The Asahi Shimbun reported, citing an unnamed official.

This came as Kishida told reporters on Tuesday that the G-7 leaders have decided to consider imposing a price cap on Russian oil while ensuring market stability.

G-7 leaders from the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union (EU) said Tuesday that they would explore imposing a cap on Russian oil prices to “prevent Russia from profiting from its war of aggression.”

“We welcome the decision of the European Union to explore with international partners ways to curb rising energy prices, including the feasibility of introducing temporary import price caps where appropriate,” the G-7 leaders said in a communique.

G-7
(L-R) Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, US President Joe Biden, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a working dinner during the G7 Summit held at Elmau Castle, southern Germany, on June 26, 2022. (Markus Schreiber/AFP via Getty Images)

Among options under consideration include “a possible comprehensive prohibition of all services” that are linked to the transportation of Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products globally.

This is “unless the oil is purchased at or below a price to be agreed in consultation with international partners,” according to the communique.

“We invite all like-minded countries to consider joining us in our actions,” the G-7 leaders said.

Russian Oil and Fuel Revenue Increase

The United States and the EU have sanctioned Russia and banned imports of Russian oil since its invasion of Ukraine in February. While these had led to a decline in Russian export volumes, Russian revenues increased last month due to higher crude oil and fuel prices.

“With higher crude oil and product prices globally, Russian oil export revenues are estimated to have increased by $1.7 billion in May to about $20 billion,” the International Energy Agency said in its June report.

Despite the bans, the EU remained the main destination for Russian exports last month, making up 43 percent of Russian flows, followed by just over a quarter to China.

Kishida said earlier this month that Japan will “take time” to phase out Russian oil imports as the country is heavily dependent on energy imports. Russian oil imports accounted for about 33 million barrels of Japan’s overall oil imports, or 4 percent, for 2021.

“As for the timing of the reduction or stoppage of [Russian] oil imports, we will consider it while gauging the actual situation,” he told reporters.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times

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