Trade minister Toshimitsu Motegi has requested early U.S. approval of liquefied natural gas exports in a meeting with Acting Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman in Washington, saying that securing a relatively cheap energy source is crucial to Japan.
Poneman told Motegi on Friday that he fully recognizes that LNG exports from the United States are an urgent issue for Japan and said the U.S. Energy Department will examine each project in line with federal law, the trade minister told a news conference after their talks.
"I took these as very positive remarks," Motegi said, adding he hopes Washington will make a quick judgment given Japan's heavy dependence on fossil fuels for thermal power generation since the March 2011 disasters.