Japan’s largest liquefied natural gas buyer has told local media that it has secured enough supply through October and sees no risk of shortages during the summer period of peak air-conditioning demand, Channel News Asia reported.

“We have secured sufficient LNG stocks for the peak summer demand season from August to October, and there are no issues regarding stable power supply,” a company executive said. He added that JERA has significantly reduced its purchases of LNG from Qatar and will ensure adequate supply for the winter season through its global trading division.

Japan is among the world’s most energy import-dependent countries, and much of its oil and gas has traditionally come from the Middle East. That dependence has made supply diversification a recurring priority for utilities and policymakers, especially as disruptions to export flows linked to war have pushed Japan to secure alternative sources. The United States has emerged as the biggest low-risk supplier of liquefied natural gas, helping Japan broaden its import mix ahead of periods of seasonal demand.

Even so, JERA is working to diversify its fuel sources further. Last month, the company said it had signed a 20-year LNG supply contract with Malaysia’s Petronas, with deliveries due to begin in 2028. Malaysia is Japan’s second-largest LNG supplier after Australia, and the agreement covers 2 million tons of liquefied gas per year, adding to earlier supply deals already secured by JERA.

Alongside greater LNG purchases from non-Middle Eastern suppliers, Japanese utilities were also forced to increase coal generation earlier this year to help maintain power supply security. JERA, the world’s largest buyer of liquefied natural gas, said last year that it planned to triple its purchases from the United States alone to as much as 5.5 million tons annually. That would represent a 10% increase in its current U.S. imports and account for one-third of its total LNG purchases.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com