Japan to focus on coal, nuclear and methane hydrates

摘要

The Japanese cabinet approved in April a new basic energy policy plan - its first since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. According to the plan, relatively expensive LNG will be used as intermediate load for energy generation, subordinate to nuclear and coal. LNG exports from North America are due to start in 2018 and 2020, and the hope is that Japan will be in a strong position to take advantage of the shale revolution and lower LNG procurement costs.