Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 12, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleJapan cuts Russian oil price cap to $47.60, joining EU sanctions. Sakhalin Blend crude remains crucial for Japan's energy needs.
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan has decided to lower its price cap on Russian crude oil to $47.60 per barrel from $60 previously, effective on Friday, to punish Moscow for its continued war in Ukraine, a government spokesperson said.
The move followed the European Union's action in July to lower its price cap on Russian crude to $47.60 as part of its 18th sanctions package against Moscow.
Japan will also impose additional asset freeze and export control sanctions on entities in Russia and other countries to join the international effort to achieve peace in Ukraine, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a regular briefing.
The reduced oil price cap, however, is expected to have no actual impact on Japan's crude procurement, an official at the industry ministry said.
Tokyo has agreed with other G7 countries to phase out Russian oil imports in response to Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
But Japan continues to buy Sakhalin Blend crude, a byproduct of liquefied natural gas production at the Sakhalin-2 project, which is vital to Japan's energy security as it accounts for about 9% of its LNG imports.
Transactions related to the Sakhalin project are exempt from the price cap rule, said the ministry official.
Japan bought 95,299 kilolitres, or 599,413 barrels, of crude from Russia between January and July, accounting for just 0.1% of its total imports, finance ministry trade data showed.
(Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Tom Hogue)
Japan has lowered its price cap on Russian crude oil to $47.60 per barrel from $60, effective Friday.
Japan's decision to impose additional sanctions is aimed at punishing Moscow for its continued war in Ukraine.
Despite the reduced oil price cap, it is expected to have no actual impact on Japan's crude procurement, according to an official at the industry ministry.
Sakhalin Blend crude is vital to Japan's energy security, accounting for about 9% of its total energy needs, and transactions related to the Sakhalin project are exempt from the price cap rule.
Between January and July, Japan imported 95,299 kilolitres, or 599,413 barrels, of crude from Russia, which accounted for just 0.1% of its total imports.
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