Japan to ask US, Australia to ensure stable LNG supply

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.