Japan Mulls LNG Futures Market as Saving Grace

摘要

Faced with a growing trade deficit and mounting bills for its utilities, Japan is desperately seeking out ways to limit the financial toll associated with large volumes of high-priced LNG imported since the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis. With Japan now considering phasing out nuclear power altogether, the country's LNG needs are unlikely to abate, adding further pressure on the government to put mechanisms in place to ease Japan's mounting energy spend. One such mechanism recently suggested is an LNG futures market — the first such market for liquefied natural gas.