The average retail gasoline price in Japan has risen to the highest level in more than 15 years amid surging crude oil prices, a government-commissioned oil research institute said.

The average retail price of regular gasoline has risen to 134.9 yen per liter as of May 1, matching the price recorded on February 12, 1991, according to Oil Information Centre official Masuo Ohashi.
At current exchange rates, that works out to be $4.56 per gallon, or 94 euro cents per litre.
High taxes are part of the reason Japanese gasoline is relatively expensive. Gasoline is taxed at a fixed rate of 53.8 yen (48 US cents; 38 euro cents) per liter, according to Ohashi.
The figure was up nearly 4 yen from the previous week, reflecting last Monday’s price hikes at gas stations nationwide in a move to pass on higher wholesale prices to consumers, Ohashi said.