Japan's industry minister Koichi Hagiuda said on Tuesday he will again ask the United States and Australia to boost output of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and ensure a stable supply to the country when he meets his counterparts in Sydney later this week, Report informs, citing Reuters.
"I will once again firmly request the United States, a major global LNG producer, and Australia, the largest LNG supplier to Japan, to step up production and ensure a stable supply of the fuel...," Hagiuda told a news conference.
Economists are confident that Japan will have to sign long-term contracts with the US, Australia, Qatar and other producing countries, as well as support new energy projects domestically, to ensure supplies after 2026.