Kuwaiti crude oil exports to Japan fell 5.3% in July year-on-year (YOY) to 216,000 barrels per day (b/d), the third consecutive monthly decrease, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

However, Kuwait’s share of total Japanese crude imports has risen to 7.4% from 6.8% in July 2017, making Kuwait Japan’s fourth biggest oil provider.

Total Japanese crude imports have fallen 17.8% YOY to 2.9 million b/d in July, marking a second monthly decrease. Imports from the Middle East were 88.8%, an increase of 4.3% YOY.

Saudi Arabia is the top exporter to Japan at 987,000 b/d, which is a 26.2% decrease YOY. The UAE ranked second with 795,000 b/d, a 13.9% increase from the previous year.

Qatar and Iran, ranked third and fifth, exported 223,000 b/d and 184,000 b/d respectively.