Japan to cut Iran oil imports after exemption from U.S. sanctions

unwritten laws and actions of a democratic nation :(

Oh thank you America for letting our country make decisions which suits our country.

Sigh, the mentality is so 'high school'.

In other words, sanctions will only apply to countries the US doesn't like, and those that it won't hurt. Lovely policy.

I don't understand what France, Britain and Germany are doing among the 11 exempted countries. A complete blockade would off course be more effective, exempting a few countries that are currently going trough hardships, seems understandable. But the three mentioned above seems a bit out of place.

How kind of America.

What Vast Right Wing Conspirator Said!

That is an old picture. I saw Mrs, Clinton on TV yesterday an it's obvious that the Sec. of State job had really taken it's toll on her. She looked really rough.

Well that fixed their little red wagon, now didn't it!

Has anyone noti ed how expensive fuel is now. Went up by 15 yen a liter in a span of a month or two. Thanks America!!

U.S. exempts Japan, 10 European nations from Iran sanctions

How kind!

Thank you Hilary!

The Empire has tossed some biscuits to the peon nations, how gentile! Her highness Empress Hillary be praised for her largess!

please also exempt everyone else in your coming war with Iran too!

Vast Right-Wing ConspiratorMAR. 21, 2012 - 08:07AM JST In other words, sanctions will only apply to countries the US doesn't like, and those that it won't hurt. Lovely policy.

Or, the U.S. sees that those countries are taking similar approaches suitable for their economies, so there is not a need to include them in the list. It appears to be even handed diplomacy that takes a lot of things into account to get sanctions moving.

Sounds reasonable enough to not assert a conspiracy.

naruhodo1MAR. 21, 2012 - 09:37AM JST Has anyone noti ed how expensive fuel is now. Went up by 15 yen a liter in a span of a month or two. Thanks America!!

I anticipate the sanctions on Iran will do little to affect fuel prices. More friendly oil will be sold to the sanctioning nations.

Basically, the same amount of oil will be consumed world-wide. There may even be a glut of oil if Iran can get it to friendly countries and the Saudis increase production to make up for Iran's perceived drop in oil exports.

Fuel prices are more influenced by perceptions than by supplies. Those prices are set by the future's markets, which use crystal balls to determine the future supply and demand.

Japan is going to reduce the cash they send to a terrorist supporting theocratic regime. Oh, the injustice.

To the mods - good choice on changing the image from hilary to osamu. well played.

Where is the sovereignty of nations when bowing willingly to another country's orders? Why is USA allowed to dictate to other nations what they can and cannot do? If my neighbour came to me and ORDERED me to stop buying electricity because HE has a dispute with the company supplying my electricity, I would tell him to solve his own problem diplomatically and quit being such a child!

Very good Japan.... then Yen may not weaken to Y85 to the dollar. Thank You.

If my neighbour came to me and ORDERED me to stop buying electricity because HE has a dispute with the company supplying my electricity, I would tell him to solve his own problem diplomatically and quit being such a child!

Except that's a poor analogy. It's more like if you and your neighbor were both women and your and her electric provider were a misogynist. She asked you to and all the women who bought their electricity from the misogynistic provider and suggested you all buy your electricity from another provider who wasn't a misogynist. Then your neighbor realized that moving to another utility would be rather onerous so there are provisos for that and you all agree on a gradual schedule for the switch over. In addition, you would be willing to go back to the currently misogynist utility if they reformed and became enlightened with the help of your coordination.

Except that's a poor analogy. It's more like if you and your neighbor were both women and your and her electric provider were a misogynist. She asked you to and all the women who bought their electricity from the misogynistic provider and suggested you all buy your electricity from another provider who wasn't a misogynist. Then your neighbor realized that moving to another utility would be rather onerous so there are provisos for that and you all agree on a gradual schedule for the switch over. In addition, you would be willing to go back to the currently misogynist utility if they reformed and became enlightened with the help of your coordination.

Except that's a poor analogy too. It's more like your neighbor is very close friends with a competing electricity provider and tries to convince you that your current provider is a misogynist...

More and more people are starting to realize this has nothing to do with nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, many still believe that the US is just trying to make the world safer.

So how do we power Japan in summer?

Typical Japanese government response, stand in the middle and lean both ways. Buy the bl**dy oil from Iran if you need it or join the sanctions if you agree with them.

I think people are missing a point.

All these nations have agreed to sanctions in order to pressure Iran on its perceived nuclear ambitions. The recent letter is in regard to how to implement those sanctions.

I care about the citizens of Iran, but honestly, Iran can do what it wants to do to its citizens. When Iran starts to project that perception of its people on others outside its country, I start to get worried.

I don't want a nuclear armed Iran. I don't think anyone wants that. At least bombs are not dropping.

Except that's a poor analogy too. It's more like your neighbor is very close friends with a competing electricity provider and tries to convince you that your current provider is a misogynist...

Except your analogy breaks down b/c the US and the EU are not "convincing" Japan. Japan realizes that the claims are true but outlines how her dependence on this misogynist makes such move somewhat nuanced. There are dependency issues, of course.

If you looked at Stuxnet and compared what was discovered via the code (and what that indicated) there and what the iranian gov't claim, you would see a discrepancy --it would be very hard to assign that discrepancy to something other than refining nuclear material which can be used for nuclear weapons building. Whether they are at the stage of building weapons is anyone's guess. That they are trying to get there is not so much a guess.

Geezzzzzz....... sanction countries doing business in US if they import oil from Iran...WTF Is this the United States of America ways of dealing with other countries.... why punish non oil producing countries doing business in US if they import oil from Iran. Before you invaded Iraq for your personal gain, gasoline was not that expensive, what happened to their oil export. Is USA controlling oil production in Iraq?

Japan realizes that the claims are true but...

I think Japan, like many countries, understand what is truly happening and they chose to go along with it, but they certainly do not believe the claims.

I don't quite get what you're saying about Stuxnet. All I know is that there is no evidence of any radioactive material being diverted and the recent "evidence" (provided from various "intelligence" agencies) reported by the IAEA under Amano, were not believed by the previous IAEA under Elbaradei.

Nuclear armed Iran is just as acceptable as nuclear armed US and Israel.

Nuclear armed Iran is just as acceptable as nuclear armed US and Israel.

Nuclear armed Iran is just as unacceptable as nuclear armed US, Israel, Britain, France, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, and China.

Both true, yet US, Israel, Britain, France, Pakistan, India, and China have nuclear weapons but no sanctions. There is NO evidence that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and they get sanctions! Funny, yes?

It's about enforcing UN resolutions through meaningful actions, Something they or European Nations rarely do except when it is too late. The US excepted Countries in the EU because they are expected to ban the same thing later this year.

Doing business with with radical countries has consequences as essentially Japan is funding Iran's nuclear program based on their own self interests. I would expect Japan to be more concerned with Iran developing a bomb given their history.

<>I don't want a nuclear armed Iran. I don't think anyone wants that. At least bombs are not dropping.

Haha Almost people from other nationality are Dominated by USA and UK!! Do You know who I mean!!? So, that problem just because Iranian people didn't accept to be Dominated at all, So, they Have to pay expensive things, like that new situation for them!! What about another nationality, like a Japanese?! I think US Government Do control Japan Country for a long time!! I Iran We have rubbish government but We never accept to Dominated at all!!

LoL

What a bloody cheek! Who the hell does Uncle Sam think he is telling other FREE nations what they can or can't do?

philsandoz, other countries are welcome to continue trade with Iran; they would just subsequently be disallowed from playing in Uncle Sam's economic sandbox. This tends to attract attention as Uncle Sam still has an awesome sandbox that everyone wants to play in. So Uncle Sam thinks the hell that he's a guy with the best sandbox around, and that others will play by his rules in exchange for permission to play there. Does that answer your question?

As for rising oil prices, Wall Street speculators are obviously at work again. Thank Goldman Sachs for that extra 10 yen you're paying per liter.

As for rising oil prices, Wall Street speculators are obviously at work again. Thank Goldman Sachs for that extra 10 yen you're paying per liter.

Right. A handful of guys in NY have the Japanese sorted out and can leverage things here.

Right. Oil at $147 a barrel in the summer of 2008 and its subsequent 75% plummet by the next year were totally caused by supply and demand.

How Ironic... US, responsible for the nuclear attack over Japanese civilians, still keeps tons of nuclear weapons, is allied to another nuclear terrorist( Israel) and now is pushing the whole world against Iran because they are trying to develop their country. Always US trying to play the big boy, giving poor excuses to lot other nations. ww2, Vietnam and Iraq are the examples. We are tired to know that OIL is the reason. And now, We'll need to pay more because of their dirty game.

NOT FAIR!

I am torn on this issue. On the one hand I want Japan to grow a backbone and tell the US, "We are a sovereign nation and we will do as we see best." On the other hand, the US is correct on this issue. Iran is threatening to start World War III. And, Iran is holding oil and resources that rightfully belong to the West and Japan. That said, I think Japan should turn away from what is right in this case and stand up for itself!

Will the United States sell you there oil? They have alot of oil but they do not use it since they can get it cheaper from the Mideast. Make them sell you oil. Big oil compainies control the oil market and they have plants in Saudia Arabia and want you to use that oil instead of the oil in Canada and North Dakota, USA,. Demand that the USA sell you oil.

They should consider putting more R&D into Thorium reactors.

My favorite part of that statement is the U.S. usage of the world “beliefs,” since that is exactly what it is. It is not based on fact or logic but instead blind faith and a belief that Iran is this bloodthirsty, genocidal nation relentlessly seeking nuclear weapons. Of course, none of that is true but apparently weak Japan goverment has no interest in the truth, either and has no choice but to follows the demand of U.S.

U.S. position is that Iran was in violation of UNSC resolutions with their nuclear enrichment efforts, even though their own intelligence assets have said that there is no weapons program. There is no arguing against the reality of the Iranian nuclear program and their efforts to enrich nuclear fuel. However, the problem arises when one makes the leap of faith required to come to the conclusion that Iran is developing nuclear weapons or their program is anything other than peaceful.

I

All of this sounds a little familiar. The U.S. applies sanctions (an economic act of war) to instigate a shooting war to prop up an ailing economy brought on by lavish, irresponsible overspending.

Haha, other countries should ask exemptions regarding sanctions placed upon North Korea too! Japan will be pleased about that!

The grim reality is the US is proping up Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait , and now Iraqi oil industries. They sell oil in dollars only because of a deal made long ago where the US guaranteed their sovereignty in exchange for the petro-dollar. That makes the US the sole long term benefactor of about 80% of the world's oil, equal to billions of dollars anually. The petro-dollar is what keeps America on war footing, as she will do what is necessary to keep the oil flowing to fill her coffers of greed and debt, and if you dare not sell in dollars, you get invaded, and the oil ends up being America's oil and your country a puppet state. Iraq and Libya wanted to lose the dollar, and they got invaded for it. Iran also is not selling in dollars so now they are the next target.... it is a chain of events driven by America's thirst for power, and all it's so called "allies" are really nothing more than "slaves" to the "master". People need to wake up and smell the coffee!! Wake up Japan, but I really don't think this country has any balls left to make any decisions for itself, as it takes orders from Washington. A unipolar world is no good for mankind.