Japan faces jet fuel shortage

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Amid boom in tourism, Japan is facing jet fuel shortage, as the country’s plummeting oil refineries cannot provide adequate fuel to enable return trips for all planes.

Authorities at Narita Airport near Tokyo, Japan's main gateway for international arrivals, said in late June that six airlines had shelved plans to add 57 flights to the weekly schedule, according to the NHK News on Wednesday.

Regional airports are also experiencing difficulties. Every winter, New Chitose Airport near Sapporo in Hokkaido Prefecture attracts waves of skiers and snowboarders drawn by northern Japan's renowned deep powder. However, this year, Qantas Airways and Singapore Airlines have canceled their seasonal flights to the airport, citing an inability to secure enough fuel for the return journeys.

The problem has multiple causes, Japanese Transport Minister Saito Tetsuo explained at a recent news conference. The primary issue is the significant reduction in the number of Japan's oil refineries, which process imported crude oil into aviation fuel. Saito also noted that labor shortages in the trucking and shipping industries have exacerbated the challenges.

The number of refineries in Japan peaked at 49 in 1983. Due to declining oil demand and recent government efforts to reduce fossil fuel reliance, this number has now dropped to 20.

This reduction means there is not only less fuel available, but the fuel produced must also travel greater distances to reach its destination—first by ships to the nearest port, and then by trucks.