Japanese oil imports from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hit 38.43 million barrel in March 2007, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Monday.

Imports from the UAE accounted for 27 percent of Japan's total oil imports, WAM quoted a report by the Japanese Energy and Natural Resources Agency as saying.

The UAE was the largest supplier of crude oil to Japan, followed by Saudi Arabia with 35.41 million barrels and Iran with 21.13 million barrels, the report said.

Japan also imported light Basra crude from Iraq in the same period, the report added.

According to the report, 76 percent of Japanese oil supplies came from Arab countries.