Tokyo (Platts)--30May2008

Japan sold 5.77 million kiloliters (36.3 million barrels) of gasoline in
April, up 17.3% from the same month in 2007, preliminary figures released
Friday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed.
     "It was the largest volume of gasoline sold in April since we have
started compiling statistics in 1955," a METI official said. "It was the
largest year-on-year sales growth of 18.3% recorded in June 1976," the
official said.
     Japan's gasoline sales jumped in April after an ex-refinery gasoline
shipment tax of Yen 25.10/liter ($0.89/gall) expired on March 31 after Prime
Minister Yasuo Fukuda's government failed to get the upper house of parliament
to approve an annual rollover.
     The gasoline tax is part of "special" road-related tax surcharges on
items such as gasoline and automobiles which were imposed on a provisional
basis in the 1970s to expedite road development projects across the country. 
     The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan argued for abolishing the
surcharges, saying they were supporting wasteful government spending.
     However, the ex-refinery gasoline shipment tax was reinstated April 30,
following the passing of the relevant bill despite resistance in the upper
house of parliament, which is dominated by the opposition parties.
     Japan's fuel oil sales also jumped 19.8% from a year ago in April to 2.14
million kiloliters as a result of higher demand for thermal power generation
as a result of lowered nuclear generation rates in the country.
     Japan's total oil products sales stood at 18.15 million kl in April, up
2.7% from a year earlier, METI data showed.
     Meanwhile, Japan exported 537,000 b/d of oil products in April, up 35.8%
from the same month in 2007 and up 2.8% from March on the back of increased
exports of middle distillates mid sluggish domestic demand in the month.
     Japan's exports of jet fuel, and kerosene, which has similar
specifications to jet fuel, jumped 10.6% and 546.3% from a year ago,
respectively, to 163,493 b/d and 9,338 b/d in April, while its export of
gasoil hiked 141% from the same month last year to 193,724 b/d, according to
METI data.
     Japan imported 533,363 b/d of oil products in April, up 19.2% from the
same month last year as its imports of fuel oil surged 213.2% year on year to
100,401 b/d. Its import of fuel oil jumped on the back of increasing imports
of low sulfur fuel oil due to the bullish demand for thermal power generation
amid the lowered nuclear generation rates in the country.     

Japan's April oil product sales  

                    Vol (kl)    % chg Feb   % chg Apr 07
Gasoline          5,766,944         29.4          17.3
Naphtha           3,636,818         -6.6          -7.3
Jet Fuel            411,678        -29.2          -6.5
Kerosene          1,489,996        -33.5         -17.2
Gasoil            3,095,926          4.2           4.1
Fuel Oil          2,135,483         -5.6          19.8
Total            18,150,188         -1.3           2.7

Japan's April oil product exports 

                   Vol (b/d)    % chg Feb   % chg Apr 07
Gasoline              557          -97.6         -92.1
Naphtha               N.A.          N.A.           N.A.
Jet Fuel           163,493          4.8           10.6
Kerosene             9,338        288.4          546.3
Gasoil             193,724        -11.6          141.0
Fuel Oil             8,815         42.6            4.1
Total              537,000          2.8           35.8

Japan's April oil product imports   

                   Vol (b/d)    % chg Feb   % chg Apr 07
Gasoline             5,189         -41.3        -60.5
Naphtha            426,691           4.8          6.7
Jet fuel              N.A.          N.A.           N.A.
Kerosene              N.A.          N.A.           N.A.
Gasoil                N.A.          N.A.           N.A.
Fuel Oil           100,401         15.9          213.2
Total              533,363          4.2           19.2			
Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
--Takeo Kumagai, takeo_kumagai@platts.com