London (7 December, 2007) The government of Japan is considering a ban on importing crude oil from Sudan following pressure from UK parliamentarians and human rights groups concerned about the link between the sale of oil and the genocidal policies of the Sudanese government in Khartoum.

The Japanese trade ministry has reportedly discussed a possible ban with several large Japanese corporations, including giants such as Nippon Oil and Japan Energy Corp. Two firms, Kyushu Electric Power Co. and Kansai Electric Power Co., Japan's second-biggest generator of electricity, have already announced that they will cut Sudanese crude oil imports as a result of concerns that oil revenue might be used to fund military action in Darfur.

Japan is one of the largest purchasers of Sudan's Nile Blend crude oil, importing an estimated 124,000 barrels per day in 2006, according to the US government's Energy Information Administration. Campaigners believe that the continued large-scale purchase of Sudanese oil must be made dependent upon the Government of Sudan cooperating with United Nations efforts for peace in both Darfur and South Sudan. Several large Japanese oil traders operate on the London commodity markets.

Hamish Falconer, Executive Director of Sudan Divestment UK said; “The large-scale purchase of Sudanese oil cannot be acceptable to those nations who are intent on seeing peace in Darfur unless the government of Sudan starts to fully cooperate with efforts to provide basic peace and security to the vulnerable people of the region. Oil revenue funds the government apparatus which has made the slaughter possible, and Japan should not continue to fund this government while Khartoum continues to obstruct international peace efforts”.

Jean-Marie Guehenno, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told the UN Security Council last Tuesday that excessive demands from Khartoum would make it impossible for a UN-peacekeeping mission to operate in Darfur and that the UN would have to consider whether a deployment would be worthwhile under such conditions.

Japan's moves come after a number of UK parliamentarians from all three major national parties and the SDLP sent letters expressing their concern to the Japanese Prime Minister in September and October of this year. The letters call for Japan, as one of Sudan’s most prominent economic partners, to "reconsider its financial relationship with Sudan". Michael Moore, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary who signed one of the letters, said "Japan must use its economic influence to help bring about change in Darfur and its oil trade with Sudan provides a lever to exert real pressure on Khartoum."