Japanese Refinery Receives First Russian Oil Since Hormuz Strait Closure

A tanker carrying Russian crude oil from the Sakhalin-2 project arrived in Japan as early as May 4, 2026, marking the first such delivery since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Oman-flagged tanker Voyager, which left Sakhalin in late April 2026, delivered the oil to Taiyo Oil's refinery facility in Ehime Prefecture.

The Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in Russia's far east remains exempt from Western sanctions imposed over Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

U.S. Treasury Department extended a sanctions exemption on the sale of some Russian crude until May 16, 2026, after a previous waiver expired on April 11, 2026. S. -Israeli attack on Iran in February 2026, which led to the initial closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. blockade on Iranian ports. A tanker carrying Saudi oil related to Idemitsu Kosan passed through the Strait of Hormuz in late April 2026.

S. 's contract arrived off the coast of Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on April 26, 2026. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, prompting several major world powers to introduce strict sanctions on trade with Moscow.

India and China have bought discounted crude and gas from Russia since 2022, with imports of Russian crude to both countries increasing in that period. In 2024, China bought more than 100 million tonnes of Russian oil, which contributed nearly 20 percent of its energy imports, while India spent an estimated $140 billion on Russian energy imports.

Oil prices showed mixed movements as of 11 minutes before publication on May 2, 2026.

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