Japan sees gasoil demand from U.S.

The United States has been showing huge interest in importing gasoil in the first Japan-U.S. meeting on oil product trading, as demand shift is expected in California due to regulations requiring more bioethanol use, an official with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said on May 26. Oil companies from the United States and Japan, along with government officials from the two countries, met in San Francisco, Calif., to promote oil product exports from Japan to the United States. Nine refiners in Japan and five trading firms participated, including Nippon Oil Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp. From the United States, eight energy companies including ExxonMobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. took part, according to a statement from (METI). (May 26, 2008)