TOKYO (MNI) – The average price of regular gasoline in Japan fell
to Y136.5 ($1.54) per liter, or $5.85 per gallon, this week, the fifth
consecutive weekly drop, according to data released by the Oil
Information Center on Wednesday.

The price was still much higher than the Y122.6 per liter price of
a year earlier.

Retail gasoline prices were on a general uptrend from mid-January
2009 until the week ended May 29, when they began to ease.

This week the average price of high-octane gasoline stood at Y147.2
per liter, down from Y147.6 last week. It hit a record high of Y196.0 on
Aug. 4, 2008.

The average price for diesel oil stood at Y115.6 per liter this
week, down from Y115.8 last week. It compared with the record high of
Y167.4 hit on Aug. 4, 2008.

The average over-the-counter price of kerosene for heating stood at
Y1,421 per 18 liters, down from Y1,422 last week. It posted a record
high of Y2,378 on Aug. 11, 2008.

The average home-delivery kerosene price this week was at Y1,539
per 18 liters, down from Y1,540. It hit a record high of Y2,484 on Aug.
11, 2008.

tokyo@marketnews.com
** Market News International Tokyo Newsroom: 81-3-5403-4833**

[TOPICS: M$J$$$,M$A$$$,MAJDS$]