Japan is preparing to strengthen its energy defenses after months of disruption exposed just how vulnerable one of the world’s biggest economies remains to a crisis far beyond its shores.
Tokyo is expected to unveil a sweeping energy-resilience plan aimed at reducing its dependence on crude oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz—a strategic chokepoint that has become a major concern following the Iran war and disruptions to Middle Eastern energy flows. The proposed measures include diversifying oil suppliers, supporting alternative pipeline routes in the Middle East and building strategic reserves of key petrochemical materials.
Japan Looks Beyond the Strait of Hormuz
According to reports carried by Reuters and Channel NewsAsia, the plan is expected to be discussed by Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) Implementation Council. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had set an end-of-August deadline for a package designed to make the country’s energy supply more resilient.
One of the biggest challenges is Japan’s overwhelming dependence on the Middle East. In 2025, 94% of Japan’s crude oil imports came from the region, and 93% of those imports passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. That dependence means any prolonged disruption can quickly become an economic and national-security concern.
The new strategy could help companies absorb or share the additional transportation costs of importing crude from suppliers outside the region, while Japan may also cooperate with Middle Eastern countries on pipeline projects designed to move oil without relying on the Strait of Hormuz. The Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, or JOGMEC, is expected to play a role in supporting those efforts.
Alternative Oil Is Already Flowing—But There’s a Catch
Japan’s energy industry has already started adapting.
ENEOS, the country’s largest oil refiner, said in July that it had secured alternative crude supplies through September, replacing disrupted volumes mainly with oil from the United States, while also sourcing some supplies from Azerbaijan and using Middle Eastern routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
But diversification is not as simple as finding another seller.
Japanese refineries have long been configured around specific types of crude, particularly supplies from the Middle East. Industry leaders have warned that shifting too aggressively away from traditional suppliers could raise costs and create new logistical challenges. The real test for Tokyo will be finding a balance between energy security and affordability—because safer supply routes may also mean more expensive fuel.
More Than Oil: Japan Is Protecting Its Industrial Supply Chain
The proposed plan goes beyond gasoline and crude oil.
Japan is also considering strategic stockpiles of naphtha, a vital petrochemical feedstock used in products ranging from plastics to printing materials. Recent shortages reportedly forced some companies to suspend sales or simplify packaging, demonstrating how an energy crisis can ripple through factories, retailers and consumers—not just gas stations.
Japan already maintains substantial emergency oil reserves. Earlier this year, Reuters reported that the country’s public and private stockpiles combined with joint reserves could cover roughly 254 days of consumption, giving Tokyo an important buffer during supply shocks.
Still, stockpiles are a temporary shield. Tokyo’s latest push suggests policymakers are now focused on preventing the next crisis rather than simply surviving the current one.
Why This Matters Beyond Japan
Japan’s decision could signal a broader shift across Asia.
The Strait of Hormuz has long been one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, and the disruption of oil flows has forced major Asian economies to reconsider their dependence on a small number of suppliers and shipping routes. Japan’s search for more crude from outside the Middle East could intensify competition for supplies from the United States and other producing regions.
For energy-importing countries across Asia, including the Philippines, the lesson is difficult to ignore: energy security is no longer just about having enough oil—it is about having enough options when one route suddenly becomes unavailable.
Japan’s upcoming plan will therefore be closely watched. Diversifying suppliers and building bypass infrastructure could strengthen the country’s resilience, but these solutions require investment, international cooperation and time.
The bigger question is whether Japan can reduce its dependence on the Middle East without simply replacing one vulnerability with another.
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