US Expects Japan to Halt Russian Energy Imports, Bessent Says

‘Japan will do what it can,’ the Japanese finance minister told reporters.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks before U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on Sept. 25, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States expects Japan to stop imports of Russian energy, citing ongoing discussions between the two governments.

Bessent met with Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato on Oct. 15 during the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund.

In a post on X, Bessent said the two officials addressed key aspects of the U.S.–Japan economic relationship, including the current administration’s position on Russian energy.

“Minister Kato and I also discussed important issues pertaining to the U.S.–Japan economic relationship and the Administration’s expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy,” Bessent said.

Kato signaled flexibility but offered no firm pledge.

“Japan will do what it can based on the basic principle of coordinating with G7 countries to achieve peace in Ukraine in a fair manner,” he said.

For the first time since early 2023, Japan imported 600,000 barrels of Sakhalin Blend crude oil from Russia in June.

Sakhalin Blend—an export-grade mixture of crude oil and gas condensate that is a byproduct of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production—had been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union. However, the Treasury Department granted a waiver allowing crude oil to be imported into Japan as Tokyo aimed to facilitate a stable national gas supply.

Japan, one of the world’s largest energy importers, has been a significant customer of Russia’s. In 2024, Tokyo imported approximately $3.8 billion worth of mineral fuels from Moscow, including coal, LNG, and refined products.

In a move to intensify economic pressure on Moscow, the Group of Seven (G7) agreed on Oct. 1 to reinforce sanctions against Russia by cracking down on countries that continue to import Russian oil and bypass existing trade restrictions.

Russia’s economy has come under tremendous pressure this year, with officials fearing a stagflation scenario—an economic climate consisting of high inflation, anemic growth, and rising unemployment. This has been driven, in part, by collapsing oil revenues from falling energy prices and persistent attacks on its infrastructure.

Crude oil prices have plummeted by 18 percent this year, with the U.S. benchmark sliding below $59 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

India, China, and Turkey

The United States has been urging more countries to curb or halt their purchases of Russian energy, aiming to accelerate an end to the war in Ukraine by constraining the Kremlin’s revenue streams.

Speaking to reporters during an event at the Oval Office on Oct. 15, U.S. President Donald Trump said India will no longer purchase Russian oil.

“I was not happy that India was buying oil, and [Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi] assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia,” Trump said. “That’s a big step.”

The president noted that Modi cannot stop it immediately. “It’s a little bit of a process, but the process will be over with soon,” Trump said. “Modi is a great man; he loves Trump.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in the Oval Office on Feb. 13, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

India has been the target of sizable tariffs in recent months.

Trump initially imposed a 25 percent tariff on India’s imports entering the United States because neither side could reach a trade agreement. Shortly afterward, the president slapped an additional 25 percent levy on India because of the nation’s purchases of Russian crude.

China, meanwhile, is Russia’s largest customer—about 2 million barrels per day. Senior U.S. administration officials have pressed Beijing on its imports of crude oil and natural gas from Moscow, saying that it is contributing to the war machine.

“China buys 66 percent of Russian energy. They buy 90 percent of Iranian energy. So, who is fueling the Russian war machine?” Bessent said at an Oct. 15 news conference.

He told reporters that 85 senators are willing to give Trump the authority to implement up to 500 percent tariffs on China for its purchases of Russian oil.

Turkey, one of Russia’s largest oil customers, has also been urged by the White House to cease its oil imports from Moscow.

During a Sept. 25 meeting at the Oval Office, Trump urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop importing energy from Moscow.

“If he did that, that would be the best thing,” Trump said at their joint news conference after the meeting.

Reuters and Emel Akan contributed to this report.