The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a report released Friday that Japan's crude oil imports rose for the third consecutive month in August, up 3 percent from a year earlier.
Japan is the world's largest consumer of oil after the U.S. and China. Crude oil imports increased to 20.6 million kiloliters in August, while imports from the Middle East rose 0.9 percent to 18.1 million kl, the ministry said.
Refiners and importers sold 1.8 percent less of oil products, to 17.2 million kl last month, while refiners produced 2.1 percent more, at 19.1 million kl. Gasoline demand in August fell 3.2 percent from a year ago, to 5.42 million kl.
Imports of liquefied natural gas declined 0.2 percent to 6.06 million tons, and liquefied petroleum gas imports slumped 17.1 percent to 1.1 million tons. Naphtha imports fell 3.6 percent to 2.25 million kl.