A Japanese consortium is to provide new infrastructure services with a focus on electric vessels. Their newly established company, called e5 Lab., will work to develop and promote the greater use of these clean modes of marine transport by building the world’s first zero-emission tanker by mid 2021.
Japan’s cabinet on Friday approved a plan to remove South Korea from a “white list” of trusted trading partners, escalating the already damaged diplomatic relations between the two states in regard to wartime reparations. In response, South Korean government also revealed plans to remove Japan from its own white list.
Japan has designated eleven potential areas as suitable for the development of offshore wind farms. The areas have been identified jointly by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the Port Authority of Japan.
Japan could lose its pole position as the world’s top LNG importer to China as early as 2022, according to a new report by energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. By then, LNG imports in Japan are expected to decline 12% to 72.8 mmtpa compared to 2018, while China’s import volume rises 37.5% to 74.1 mmtpa.
Russian natural gas producer Novatek announced the closing of the sale of participation interests in Arctic LNG 2 Project to subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation, subsidiary of CNOOC, and the consortium of Mitsui & Co and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (Japan Arctic LNG).
Qatargas announced that it successfully delivered the 3,000th LNG cargo to Japan since the first ever Qatari shipment was delivered to Kawagoe LNG Receiving Terminal on 10th January 1997. The 3000th LNG cargo, which was transported onboard ‘Al Jasra’, a conventional LNG vessel with a capacity of 135,000 cubic metres, was delivered to JERA.
Japan is considering whether Self-Defense Forces troops should participate in a US-proposed coalition to protect strategic waters near the Strait of Hormuz, amid reports saying that the government is analyzing such a move. According to the law, the SDF can protect non-Japanese ships, but it only allows for action to be taken against pirates, and not threats from ships controlled by foreign governments.
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced it is conducting a business trial operating ships with low sulphur oil, as part of its efforts to prepare with the 2020 sulphur cap entering into force for ships globally from 1st January 2020.
According to a Banchero Costa report, China is on the path of surpassing Japan this year as the world’s top importer of LNG. In 2018, China retained its position as the second largest importer, globally, of the commodity after Japan, surpassing South Korea in 2017.
Following a two-day meeting in Japan’s Osaka, the leaders of the Group of 20 major economies discussed a free trade environment, after talks some members described as difficult. The leaders noted that growth remained low, whereas risks were tilted to the downside as trade and geopolitical tensions have grown.
