TOKYO, Japan: Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, instructed U.S. President Donald Trump throughout their assembly in Tokyo that it will be troublesome for Japan to cease importing Russian liquefied pure gasoline (LNG), based on two Japanese authorities officers who spoke to Reuters on situation of anonymity.
The officers stated the subject got here up throughout the leaders’ bilateral talks, and Takaichi requested Trump to know Japan’s power wants. Russia provides about 9 % of Japan’s LNG, and Japanese companies, together with Mitsubishi, maintain stakes within the Sakhalin-2 mission in Russia’s Far East.
Before Trump’s Asia journey, Washington urged international locations, together with Japan, to cease shopping for Russian power and to sanction main oil corporations Rosneft and Lukoil to extend strain on Moscow over the Ukraine conflict.
According to the Nikkei newspaper, Takaichi — Japan’s first feminine prime minister, elected final week — instructed Trump that reducing off Russian LNG would solely profit China and Russia.
China and India are the largest consumers of Russian power, although many Indian refiners have lately paused new purchases because of the newest U.S. sanctions as they await additional steering.
Japan has boosted its U.S. LNG imports in recent times to diversify away from Australia and put together for the expiry of its Sakhalin-2 contracts between 2028 and 2033. Japan’s trade minister warned that changing that gasoline can be costly and will increase electrical energy costs.
Currently, Japan buys lower than one % of its oil from Russia beneath a sanctions waiver that expires in December. Most of its oil nonetheless comes from the Middle East.