JAPAN plans to increase the production and import of jet fuel in an effort to ease an ongoing shortage that has hampered the operations of foreign airlines in the country.
“We are requesting oil refineries to do all in their capacity as soon as they can,” Takehiko Nagai, a director at the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, said on Tuesday (Jul 16).
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry says it will increase fuel supply using larger vessels and hire more refuelling staff to solve logistics issues, a draft plan by the Japanese government showed. It also aims to strengthen measures to train the expanded workforce.
The proposal comes amid an influx of travellers into Japan, leaving foreign airlines struggling to increase services at airports, including major hubs such as Narita International Airport.
The Japanese government set up a task force last month to resolve the issue, as businesses seek to profit from the surge in inbound tourism
Contributing further to the fuel shortage, stricter overtime work regulations that came into effect in April have diminished the number of hours refuelling crews can work, Nagai added. BLOOMBERG
