London: Iran’s centrak bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmation Monday said that Japan has began the process importing Iranian oil, which was suspended due to U.S. sanctions.

The Central Bank governer told to state news agency IRNA about the process of importing oil. He said  "After China, South Korea, India and Turkey, Japan also started the process of importing Iranian oil,"

oil exports of Iran have reduced sharply since U.S. President Donald Trump said in May 2018 the United States would withdraw from a pact curtailing Iran's disputed nuclear programme and reimpose sanctions on Tehran.

The resumption of oil imports comes after Tokyo was granted a waiver from US sanctions that went into effect in November. Iran is the fourth-largest oil producer among the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Exemptions have been granted to main and big buyers of Iran’s oil - Japan, China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Italy, Greece and Turkey - which allow them to import some oil for another 180 days.

It may be noted that Iranian oil accounted for 5.3 per cent of Japan's total crude imports in 2018.