Japan is considering measures to curb imports of Russian coal, signaling a potential policy shift by in one of the world’s biggest energy importers.

The island nation "will aim to stop importing coal from Russia” as a longer-term goal and will over time use energy conservation, other power generation and alternative country supply to reduce its dependency on Russia, trade minister Koichi Hagiuda said on Friday. Japan had previously drawn a line at cutting energy ties to Russia because of its heavy dependence on fuel imports.

The comment follows a statement made by the Group of Seven leaders on Thursday, saying that the countries will ban new investment into Russia’s energy sector and expand trade restrictions, including phasing out and banning coal imports. Japan is the third-biggest coal importer, and gets about 13% of its power-generating supply from Russia.