国家備蓄、１０万キロリットル放出　原油高止まりで、２月入札―経産省

　経済産業省は２７日、原油価格の高止まりを受けて準備を進めていた国家備蓄石油の放出について、約１０万キロリットル（約６３万バレル）分を売却すると発表した。来年２月９日に入札を実施する。
　今回は米国が主導する国際的な石油備蓄の協調放出に呼応する形で売却を実施する。原油価格の抑制を狙った国家備蓄の放出は初めて。日本の１日当たりの石油消費量は約３０万キロリットルで、経産省は今回の約１０万キロリットルを含め合計で数十万キロリットルの放出を検討している。（2021/12/27-19:55）

The Japanese government said Monday that it will release about 100,000 kiloliters of its state oil reserves, or one-third of Japan's daily oil consumption, in response to elevated oil prices.
   The government will hold an auction on Feb. 9 for the oil, to be released from the Shibushi storage base in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima. The oil is expected to be delivered between March 20 and June 30.
   The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is considering releasing a total of several hundred thousand kiloliters, including the 100,000 kiloliters, from the state reserves as part of a U.S.-led internationally coordinated oil release.
   It is the first time for Japan to tap its oil reserves in a bid to keep oil prices from rising. As the country's oil stockpiling law does not mention such a release, the government plans to conduct the sale in the name of rebalancing its oil portfolio.
   Crude oil markets are calm at the moment, amid the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus and following a decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major oil producing countries to maintain a small output increase in January.