The turmoil in the Middle East has disrupted oil supply, prompting Japanese refineries to significantly shift towards purchasing US and Mexican crude oil.

Due to supply disruptions caused by the conflict in Iran, Japanese refining companies are increasingly turning to oil sources outside the Persian Gulf, including the United States. This marks a significant shift in procurement strategy. Tanaka Soichiro, Chief Financial Officer of Japan's largest refiner ENEOS Holdings, stated at a briefing following the company's earnings report on Friday that the required crude oil for August has been secured, with sources including U.S. crude oil, while opting for transportation routes in the Middle East that avoid the Strait of Hormuz; crude oil tankers for September are also planned to follow a similar procurement method. Competitor Cosmo Energy Holdings has replaced a large amount of Middle Eastern crude oil with supplies from the U.S., Mexico, and other countries, and has accumulated enough crude to last until October. The company's senior executive Iwai Tomoki mentioned at a press conference on Thursday that currently about half of its crude oil comes from North America and Central America. These statements confirm that as the Middle Eastern conflict reshapes global oil flows, Japanese refiners have adjusted their procurement strategies. In addition to the ongoing transportation disruptions faced in the Strait of Hormuz, the reliability of Saudi oil shipments transported via the Red Sea has also declined in recent weeks due to attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.