Japan aims to raise jet fuel production, imports to ease crunch

Japan plans to increase the production and import of jet fuel in an effort to ease an ongoing shortage that has hampered foreign airlines’ operations in the country.

“We are requesting oil refineries to do all in their capacity as soon as they can,” Takehiko Nagai, a director at the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, said at a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry says it will increase fuel supply using larger vessels and hire more refueling staff to solve logistics issues, according to a government draft plan released on Tuesday. It also aims to strengthen measures to train the expanded workforce. 

The proposal comes as the country is seeing an influx of travelers, leaving foreign airlines struggling to increase services at airports including major hubs such as Narita. The government set up a task force last month to resolve the issue that poses risks to businesses seeking to profit from the surge in inbound tourism.

Contributing further to the fuel shortage, stricter overtime work regulations that came into effect in April have diminished the number of hours refueling crews can work, Nagai added.

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