TOKYO: Japan’s LNG imports rose 6.5% from a year ago to 8.3 million mt in February, with higher volumes from Australia and Indonesia, Ministry of Finance data released last Thursday showed.
For the three months to February, during which Japan experienced a colder-than-normal winter, an increase in year-on-year supplies from Asian projects in Brunei, Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea fulfilled Japan’s additional demand. Volumes from Qatar and Europe dropped year on year, with US supply largely unchanged from a year ago at around five cargoes, according to the ministry’s data.
In February, Australia was the largest supplier, sending 2.7 million mt, up 24.9% from a year ago, while Malaysia came in second, but its volume fell 9%.
Indonesia stepped up, as its LNG exports to Japan surged 46.6% year on year to 785,112 mt in February.
Japan received a couple of reload cargoes delivered from Singapore and the Netherlands in February.
