Japan Begins Releasing Oil from National Reserves in Response to Iran War to Stabilize Domestic Supply

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:42 JST, March 26, 2026

Japan began releasing national oil reserves on Thursday in response to Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

One month’s worth of oil will be released from 11 domestic oil storage facilities over a period lasting until June at the latest. Combined with the release of private reserves, which began on March 16, the government will release a record 45 days’ worth of oil — about 80 million barrels — to stabilize supply.

Oil was first released from the Kikuma national petroleum reserve base in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture, from where it was to be transported via a pipeline to the adjacent Taiyo Oil Co.’s Shikoku plant. The oil will then be refined into gasoline and diesel fuel at the plant for distribution to the domestic market.

Releases are also scheduled to begin at other bases, including the one in Kitakyushu, from Friday.

In preparation for the release, the government signed discretionary contracts on March 19 with four major oil wholesalers: Eneos Corp., Idemitsu Kosan Co., Cosmo Oil Co. and Taiyo Oil. The total sale amount will be about ¥540 billion.

The government also plans to begin releasing oil from joint reserves, which are domestic storage tanks that are leased to oil companies from oil-producing countries, later this month.

It will be the first time oil will be released from a joint reserve, from which five days’ worth is expected to be released.

According to the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, as of Sunday, there were 238 days’ worth of oil reserves — 146 days’ worth from the national reserve, 86 days’ worth from the private reserves and six days’ worth from the joint reserves.