Japan Backs Middle East Oil Pipelines in Bid to Secure Energy

Japan has announced plans to support alternative oil pipelines in the Middle East as it seeks to improve energy security following the Iran conflict. The country was heavily reliant on oil imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz before the conflict began in February.

The Nikkei daily reported that Japan will assist initiatives by Saudi Arabia and other countries to expand and build new routes for crude oil bypassing the waterway. This move aims to reduce reliance on the now-strangled Strait of Hormuz, which has been a point of concern for global energy security.

As part of its efforts, Japan has already tapped its oil reserves to help cope with supply problems and increased crude imports from other countries, including the US. The government is expected to take further measures at a meeting later today, including an initiative to produce naphtha, a by-product used in various industries.

The government's plan also includes maximizing the use of nuclear power and providing support for next-generation perovskite solar cells. This move is partly aimed at meeting the projected increase in power demand from AI and reviving Japan's nuclear power sector 15 years after the Fukushima disaster.