Japan does not plan to stop importing Russian oil and gas, despite Trump's calls

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during talks with US President Donald Trump, rejected the American leader's proposal for Tokyo to stop purchasing Russian oil and gas. Reuters reports this, writes UNN.

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The issue of Russian LNG was discussed during a bilateral meeting of the leaders on Tuesday, and Takaichi tried to explain Japan's energy needs to Trump.

Supplies from Russia account for about 9% of Japan's total LNG imports, and Japanese companies Mitsui and Mitsubishi have stakes in the Sakhalin-2 project in Russia's Far East.

Before Trump's trip to Asia this week, the US urged buyers of Russian energy, including Japan, to stop imports and impose sanctions on Russia's two largest oil exporters — Rosneft and Lukoil — to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.

According to the business publication Nikkei, Takaichi told Trump that if Japan stopped purchases, it would only please China and Russia.

China and India remain the largest buyers of Russian energy, although many Indian refiners have suspended new orders for Russian oil after last week's new US sanctions, awaiting clarification from the government and suppliers.

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Japan has increased its LNG purchases from the US in recent years, trying to diversify supplies from its main supplier Australia and prepare for the expiration of contracts with the Sakhalin-2 project.

Most supplies from Sakhalin-2 will end between 2028 and 2033. Replacing this gas will be expensive and will lead to higher electricity prices, Japan's industry minister said last week.

Japan imports less than 1% of its oil from Russia, excluding sanctions expiring in December, with the bulk of the country's oil supplies coming from the Middle East.

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