Japan seeks US exemptions for Iran oil imports

Japan is seeking an "early" exemption from the US on sanctions against Iran to facilitate oil shipping arrangements, a Japanese government source has said.

According to Press TV, the source declined to comment on the outlook for securing the US sanctions waiver or if Washington had asked Japan to stop its Iranian oil imports.

Petroleum Association of Japan President Takashi Tsukioka said Friday that Japanese importers of Iranian oil would need US sanction waivers by November 4 to continue imports because the US aims to shut down Iranian exports.

"We will have to take certain measures if things move because the US wants to take [Iranian oil] to zero," Tsukioka told a news conference in Tokyo.

Tsukioka said refiners' purchases of Iranian oil imports in August could be "the last" without securing waivers as oil loaded after September would be subject to US sanctions. He added that October-loading barrels would be paid for in November.

"This means it will be difficult for us to gain a clear overview of all these developments in the next month and a half," he added.

Japan's largest refiner JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy said Monday it is aware of reports about the US' request to slash Iranian oil imports to zero but said it had not received any guidance from the Japanese government over the imports.

"We will closely monitor and ascertain the situations," a company spokesman said, declining to comment on its impact on Iranian oil imports and possible alternative supplies.

SS