Japan Buys Russian Oil Above $60 Price Cap

Japan is purchasing Russian oil above the $60-a-barrel price cap put in place by the United States and its Western allies. According to a Wall Street Journal report on April 2, the U.S. gave Japan permission to sidestep the price cap back in September 2022 to ensure that Japan could meet its energy needs.

• From January to February 2023, Japan bought 748,000 barrels of Russian oil at approximately $70 a barrel.
• Last year, Japan also increased its Russian natural gas imports by 4.6 percent over the previous year.

At the same time, Japan has given Ukraine more than $6 billion in financial support, including humanitarian aid, since Russia’s war on the nation began last year. Japan’s chief government spokesman, Hirokazu Matsuno, said Monday that Tokyo remains committed to helping Ukraine in its battle against Russia.

We absolutely will not allow Russia’s outrageous act, and we are imposing strict sanctions on Russia in order to stop Russia’s invasion as soon as possible.
—Hirokazu Matsuno

So Japan supports Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia, as long as they do not complicate Japan’s access to energy. And according to James Brown, a professor in political science and expert in Japan-Russia relations, “It’s not as if Japan can’t manage without this. They can. They simply don’t want to.”

The Bible says: Japan is a Western ally on paper and often boasts of loyalty to the United States. However, its willingness to buy Russian oil that helps finance Russia’s war shows that Japan is not as firmly in the U.S. camp as appearances suggest. Bible prophecy warns that in the end time Japan will give up its devotion to America to pledge allegiance to Russia. To learn how and why, read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Japan’s March Toward Militarism.”