Washington Urges Japan to End Russian Energy Imports Following India’s Oil Pledge

The United States has called on Japan to halt its imports of Russian energy, hours after President Donald Trump announced that India would also cease purchasing oil from Moscow.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that he had discussed Washington’s “expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy” during talks with Japan’s Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato. Bessent made the remarks in a post on social platform X.

Japan, which depends heavily on imported oil and gas, spent an estimated 582 billion yen (around $3.9 billion) on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2023, according to official customs data. Russian LNG accounted for nearly 9 percent of Japan’s total LNG imports that year.

When questioned by Japanese media in Washington, Minister Kato declined to comment directly on Bessent’s statement. “I’d like to refrain from discussing what other ministers said,” he noted, adding that Japan remains committed to working with G7 partners “to achieve a just peace in Ukraine.”

Earlier the same day, President Trump told reporters that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged to end India’s purchases of Russian oil. “You know, you can’t do it immediately. It’s a bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon,” Trump said.

India has long defended its energy trade with Russia, emphasizing strategic and historical ties even amid international criticism following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The development follows Trump’s move in August to raise tariffs on Indian exports to the U.S. to 50 percent, with his administration accusing New Delhi of indirectly supporting Russia’s war effort through its energy dealings.