Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday Japan is keeping an eye on the recent surge in oil prices and will urge major producers to boost output to quell concerns of a supply deficit. "We are closely watching movements in the crude oil market as well as the impact on domestic industry and households," Kishida told reporters after calling an emergency meeting of Cabinet members including Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno and industry minister Koichi Hagiuda to discuss the matter. Oil prices have climbed sharply over the past two months as demand recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, with benchmark West Texas ... (full story)