Japan Brings In LNG From Far Away Brazil and Spain, A First

Up on its toes to fill its energy requirements, Japan, for the first time ever, has imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) even from as far as Spain and Brazil.

April data from the Ministry of Finance of Japan on Wednesday showed the world's third largest economy, also now the world's top consumer of LNG, imported 50,569 tonnes and 50,458 tonnes of the chilled gas, respectively, from Spain and Brazil, the data showed.

Japan is now without nuclear power after the last of its 54 reactors have been shut down as a result of the Fukushima radiation crisis brought by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit the country. Although some of the reactors had been granted approval to go online again after the series of government-led stress tests, the consensus of the population and local government at which the particular nuclear reactor is located must first be secured. So far, none of the previously suspended nuclear reactors have been allowed to operate again.

Kyushu Electric Power, one of Japan's 10 utility firms, had said it will increase by as much as 44 per cent its purchases of oil and LNG equivalent for the July-September quarter, or at about 2.6 million kilolitres, or 16.4 million barrels.

In the last fiscal year ending March 31, Japan's consumption of crude oil, heavy fuel oil and LNG surged. Crude oil expenditure reached 11.6 million kilolitres, or 199,429 barrels a day, a rise of 143 per cent from a year ago.

The same was also seen in the country's usage of heavy fuel oil which grew 88 per cent from a year ago, translating to 11.8 million kilolitres of heavy fuel oil, or 203,733 barrels a day. LNG consumption likewise soared 27 per cent to 52.9 million metric tonnes.