Japan Faces Energy Dilemma Amid U.S. Pressure on Russian Imports

During a meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi conveyed to U.S. President Donald Trump that halting imports of Russian LNG would pose a challenge for Japan, as reported by the Nikkei business daily. This assertion highlights the difficulties Japan faces in balancing energy needs with global political pressures.

Russian LNG constitutes approximately 9% of Japan's total LNG imports, with Japanese firms Mitsui and Mitsubishi holding interests in the Sakhalin-2 project. This arrangement underscores Japan's reliance on Russian energy amid international calls to reduce such dependencies.

In the context of President Trump's visit to Asia, the U.S. urged Russian energy buyers, including Japan, to withdraw from these imports. This appeal coincided with sanctions imposed on Moscow's leading oil exporters, Rosneft and Lukoil, as part of efforts to prompt negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict.