Japan’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) importer, Jera, signaled it would consider buying the fuel from an export project in Alaska that has been championed by U.S. President Donald Trump, as companies and government officials travel to the northern state for a week of negotiations and deals.

Jera, which is also the nation’s largest power producer, submitted its expression of interest ahead of a summit next week, said people with knowledge of the matter. Jera did not specify how much LNG the company would potentially buy, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private.

Jera declined to comment regarding the expression of interest.

The move is a small step forward for the $44 billion Alaska LNG export project, which has been proposed in various forms for decades but struggled to secure binding long-term contracts and investments. It comes as Japan’s government is seeking to smooth the path to a tariff deal with the United States.

The Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference is not centered on the LNG project alone, but U.S. proponents are using the gathering as a timely opportunity to gather support — while Asian gas buyers are seizing the moment to gain favor with Washington at a critical juncture in trade talks.

Takehiko Matsuo, vice minister for international affairs at the trade ministry, will attend the gathering, trade minister Yoji Muto said to media on Friday.

Taiwan will also send a delegation to the project. South Korea’s energy ministry and Korea Gas are expected to attend the same discussions, the Herald Business Newspaper reported earlier this week.