Japan's 2009 oil product sales down 6.9%

Japan’s oil product sales in 2009 fell 6.9% from a year ago, as demand in the world’s third-largest oil consumer dropped amid an economic slowdown, according to preliminary figures released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Oil product consumption in Japan, which ranks only behind the United States and China, showed a fourth consecutive year-on-year decline in total petroleum product sales last year at 193.33 million kiloliters. (January 29, 2010)