"Following the Ukraine invasion, we have not signed any contracts [for Russian crude]," Sugimori told an online press conference as the president of the Petroleum Association of Japan. "We do not expect to import [Russian crude] for the moment."

ENEOS, however, will receive a few ships carrying Russian crude cargoes until April from its purchase contracts signed prior to the invasion in February, Sugimori said.

"Until April, we will receive a few ships under contracts signed prior to the start of the Ukraine invasion in February," Sugimori said. "For these [cargoes] we have secured ships, and we will be able to make our payments."

Russia supplied 4% of Japan's total crude oil imports of 2.48 million b/d in 2021, according to finance ministry data.