Global Markets: Japan’s July LNG imports flat YoY

Japanese imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) remained flat in July when compared to the same month a year ago, according to the provisional data released by Japan’s Ministry of Finance.

Japan, the world’s top LNG buyer, imported 6.81 million tonnes of LNG last month, down just 0.1 percent as compared to July 2017, the data shows.

The value of June LNG imports was about $3.49 billion, a rise of 16.7 percent on year.

The country’s coal imports for power generation dropped by 6.7 percent to 9.88 million tonnes last month.

To remind, Japan’s LNG imports declined in July as the country’s power utilities are bringing online more nuclear reactors that had been shut in the wake of the Fukushima atomic disaster in 2011.

However, Japan has been hit by a heat wave in July boosting demand for cooling. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the country is expected to continue to experience warmer weather until October.

LNG World News Staff