Japanese LNG imports edge higher in June but six-month total of cargo deliveries show downward trend
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports increased marginally in June even at higher prices, though the half-year figures showed a downward trend for 2024.
Japanese LNG imports soar by over 16 percent even at higher prices while thermal coal deliveries also rise
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports rose by over 16 percent in April even at higher prices while thermal coal deliveries also increased as the nation additionally prepared for more nuclear plant re-starts in competition to LNG.
Japanese LNG importer and utility JERA posts drop in revenues on less electricity sold but profit helped by time lag
JERA Co. Inc., Japan’s biggest liquefied natural gas importer and utility company, reported an increase in fiscal full-year profits while revenues plunged nearly 22 percent because of a decrease in electric power sales.
Japanese LNG imports increase as storage build-up begins amid contract activities for more supplies
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports increased last month as thermal coal imports dropped and energy players in Japan signed more LNG supply contracts amid stricter energy security polices to confront geopolitical uncertainties.
Japan LNG plunge
June 15 (LNGJ) - Japanese LNG imports dropped by almost 20 percent in May to 4.61 million tonnes compared with 5.76MT in May 2022. The Finance Ministry figures also showed the LNG cargo costs were down by more than 30 percent from a year ago to 412.77 billion yen ($2.95Bln), which was 31.6 percent lower than the May 2022 LNG cargo bill of 606.23Bln yen ($4.33Bln). Thermal coal imports also tumbled by 27.4 percent to 6.18MT.
The Ministry said that Asian LNG deliveries amounted to 1.36MT, Middle East cargo volumes came to 545,000 tonnes, Russian deliveries numbered 559,000 tonnes and US shipments came to 267,000 tonnes. The balance of deliveries in May of 1.88MT came mostly from Australia and the spot market.
Japanese LNG imports plunge by 19 percent as milder weather and higher energy storage curb demand
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports dropped almost 19 percent in April even as cargo numbers remained stable from Australia but declined from other regions as milder weather and higher energy storage curbed demand for LNG cargoes as well as thermal coal.
Japan formally retakes World No. 1 LNG importer position from China with surge in Australian and Asian cargoes
Japan has formally retaken from China its position as the World No. 1 LNG importer with more volumes coming from Australia, Russia and its Asian neighbours even as overall deliveries to Japanese terminals fell in 2022 and slumped in December.
Japanese LNG imports rise and prices 90 percent up year-on-year but surpassed by thermal coal surge
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports increased for a fourth straight month while prices jumped almost 90 percent year-on-year, though imports of thermal coal surpassed LNG, surging 34.5 percent last month to meet higher power demands.
The August 2021 LNG shipments amounted to 6.29MT, or around 90 cargoes, which was 7.8 percent higher than the 5.8MT received in August 2020, according to the preliminary trade figures from Japan's Ministry of Finance.
The July deliveries had amounted to 6.18MT, up 2.5 percent from the 6.03MT received in July 2020.
Japan’s shipments in August cost 363.01 billion yen ($3.31Bln), a rise of 89.3 percent on the 191.76Bln ($1.75Bln) spent in August 2020, though for fewer cargoes.
LNG competes mainly with thermal coal for power generation in Japan and the shipments of coal increased by 34.5 percent year-on-year in August to 10.6MT.
Japan’s thermal coal imports in July 2021 were also high at 9.81MT, up 10.90 percent on the same month in 2020.
Nuclear power generation in Japan is still much reduced with only five plants with nine reactors from a total of 16 plants with 50-plus reactors having gained the agreement of local authorities to resume operations.
Just nine of these reactors are currently on line at six plants.
LNG cargo deliveries to Japan during August 2021 from nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Brunei rose by 18.5 percent to 1.46MT compared with August 2020.
Middle East shipments from countries like Qatar and Oman were 25.2 percent up year-on-year at 1.25MT.
However, shipments from Russia last month fell 75.7 percent to 144,000 tonnes because of maintenance work at the Sakhalin Island plant in the Russian Far East.
US cargo deliveries to Japan almost doubled year-on-year to 541,000 tonnes, though were less than the previous month's total of 611,000 tonnes.
The balance of imports in August 2021 came from Australia, African nations and the spot market.
That segment of the imports was higher than the previous month at 2.89MT versus last month’s 2.48MT and the deliveries were also above the 2.74MT received in August 2020.
Annual LNG deliveries to the Japanese import network of 37 facilities came to 74.46MT in 2020, down 3.7 percent compared with the 77.32MT received in 2019.
Imports by the world’s largest buyer of LNG have continued to drop in recent years and in 2021 the Japanese total will be overtaken by China.
Japan's 2019 import total of 77.32MT was 6.7 percent lower than the 82.85MT logged in 2018.
Japanese LNG imports jump for third month along with thermal coal shipments during Olympics hosting
Japanese liquefied natural gas imports jumped for a third month in July with higher volumes arriving from all regions apart from the Middle East at prices over 40 percent higher than a year ago, while thermal coal shipments for power use also jumped as the nation hosted the Olympic Games.
The July 2021 LNG shipments amounted to 6.18MT, or around 90 cargoes, which was 2.5 percent higher than the 6.03MT received in July 2020, according to the trade figures from Japan's Ministry of Finance.
The June deliveries had amounted to 5.70MT, up 8.5 percent from the 5.26MT received in June 2020.
Japan’s shipments in July 2021 cost 343.62 billion yen ($3.21Bln), a rise of 42 percent on the 242.14Bln ($2.20Bln) spent in July 2020 for slightly fewer cargoes.
LNG competes mainly with thermal coal for power generation in Japan.
Japan’s thermal coal imports in July 2021 came to 9.81MT, which was 10.90 higher than the level of shipments a year ago and on June’s imports of 7.49MT of thermal coal.
Nuclear power generation in Japan is still much reduced with only five plants with nine reactors from a total of 16 plants with 50-plus reactors having gained the agreement of local authorities to resume operations.
Just nine of these reactors are currently on line at six plants.
LNG cargo deliveries to Japan during July 2021 from nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Brunei rose by 24.6 percent to 1.44MT compared with July 2020.
Middle East shipments from countries like Qatar and Oman dropped 8.8 percent year-on-year to 886,000 tonnes.
Shipments from Russia last month almost doubled to 761,000 tonnes. US cargo deliveries to Japan also jumped year-on-year but at a more modest 31 percent to 611,000 tonnes.
The balance of imports in July 2021 came from Australia, African nations and the spot market.
That segment of the imports was higher than the previous month at 2.48MT compared with 2.25MT in June 2021.
Annual shipments of LNG to the Japanese import network of 37 facilities came to 74.46MT in 2020, down 3.7 percent compared with the 77.32MT received in 2019.
Imports by the world’s largest buyer of LNG have continued to drop in recent years. The 2019 total of 77.32MT was 6.7 percent lower than the 82.85MT logged in 2018.
Japanese monthly LNG imports decline on lower volumes from Middle East and the spot market
Japan’s liquefied natural gas imports declined last month for a second month with drops in volumes from the Middle East, Australia and the spot market being partly offset by deliveries from Asian neighbours, Russia and the US.
