Statistics showed gasoline imports up sharply, raising questions about whether Mexico can even meet its domestic demand.

And gasoline imports exceeded a million barrels a day for the third consecutive week.

Sanctions that block gasoline imports would be extremely painful, analysts here said.

For example, gasoline imports reached one million barrels a day last year, or nearly 11 percent of the country's daily needs.

About 20 percent of gasoline imports come from Venezuela.

Iran's refining industry requires $15 billion in investment over the period 2007-2012 to become self-sufficient and end gasoline imports.

To make up for the domestic shortfall, gasoline imports from Europe and South America have been rising in recent years.

Still, the difference must be made up by direct imports of refined products, with gasoline imports now at 1 million barrels a day.

But a bigger change may be looming for Japan's petroleum industry: the liberalization of gasoline imports.

A Government advisory panel recently recommended permitting other gasoline imports starting in April 1996.