Although lacking historical connections to the Middle East, Japan was the country most dependent on Arab oil. 71% of its imported oil came from the Middle East in 1970. On November 7, 1973, the Saudi and Kuwaiti governments declared Japan a "nonfriendly" country to encourage it to change its noninvolvement policy. It received a 5% production cut in December, causing a panic. On November 22, Japan issued a statement "asserting that Israel should withdraw from all of the 1967 territories, advocating Palestinian self-determination, and threatening to reconsider its policy toward Israel if Israel refused to accept these preconditions". By December 25, Japan was considered an Arab-friendly state.
Which country is the most dependent on Arab oil? How much imported oil came from the Middle East? To force Japan to be more involved in the crisis, what did Saudi and Kuwaiti government do? When did Japan release a statement to tell Israelis to withdraw from the Palestine? When was Japan accepted as an Arab-friendly state?