Japan and China, both big guzzlers of oil imports, have been sparring behind the scenes over oil development projects in eastern Siberia.

China is trying to secure oil not only from the Middle East and Africa but also from eastern Siberia -- where Japan has its eye on becoming a major supplier.

The International Energy Agency predicts that China's oil imports, now totaling slightly less than 2 million barrels a day, will jump to about five times that in 2030.