Japan will send a senior official for the Alaska energy conference

Yoji Muto, Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry minister, said on Friday a senior official would attend a conference in Alaska next week, at which the $44 billion Alaska LNG Project is expected to come up for discussion.

Muto announced that Takehiko Matsuo will be the Vice-Minister of International Affairs for the Ministry. The conference is scheduled to take place from June 3 to 5, Muto stated.

The conference begins the day after the Trump administration scheduled talks. It invited officials from Japan and South Korea to Alaska to discuss a wide range of projects, including a gas pipeline. Asian governments are considering U.S. investment in hopes of relief from Washington’s tariffs.

Matsuo's attendance at the June 2 event, which will be hosted Trump's energy czar Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, was not immediately known.

Muto stated that Japan and the U.S. have been in contact regarding pipeline construction, among other issues. "I anticipate meaningful discussions this time around as well," he added.

Bloomberg News reported Friday that Japan's largest LNG buyer JERA had sent an "expression interest" to Glenfarne regarding the Alaska LNG Project. Glenfarne, the state-run Alaska Gasline Development Corporation's development partner, has sent an "expression of interest" to Glenfarne in the Alaska LNG Project.

The ministry announced on Thursday that South Korea would send its Deputy minister for Energy Policy, along with other officials from the energy ministry, to the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. This comes as several Asian countries are considering investing in the Alaska LNG Project.

Friends of the Earth Japan reported on Thursday that over 150 groups from Japan as well as around the globe sent an open message to the Japanese PM urging the country to not join the expensive Alaska LNG project.

"Alaska LNG is completely unnecessary for Japan." Japanese companies resold 37 percent of the LNG they handled, because Japan buys LNG more than is needed," said Hiroki Ozada of Friends of the Earth Japan.

He added, "Starting a new LNG project would be a terrible decision, but it's even worse because it exacerbates climate changes beyond threshold and destroys indigenous life in Alaska and biodiversity." (Reporting and editing by SonaliPaul; Yuka Obayashi)

(source: Reuters)