Japan’s near total dependence on imported energy means it cannot “survive” without continuing to buy oil and gas from Russia, said the head of one of the country’s big five trading houses.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Masahiro Okafuji, chief executive of Itochu, whose largest shareholder is Warren Buffett, said the country’s continuing use of Russian energy after the invasion of Ukraine would hinge on support from the US and Europe for Japan’s position.

“Unlike Europe or the US, Japan depends on overseas for almost all of its energy needs so it’s not possible to cut off ties with Russia because of the sanctions,” Okafuji said at the company’s head office in Tokyo. “In reality, we cannot survive unless we continue to import from Russia, even if the volumes are smaller.”