Japan’s LNG imports down 1.4 percent in 2025

The country’s LNG imports reached 64.98 million tonnes last year.

This means that Japan imported some 3.45 million tonnes less than China, the world’s largest LNG importer.

In December last year, Japan’s LNG imports rose 2.8 percent year-on-year to 6.54 million tonnes, the data shows.

Japan’s coal imports for power generation also decreased in 2025.

The ministry’s data shows that coal imports fell 0.6 percent to 102.7 million tonnes.

LNG import bill down

The 2025 LNG import bill dropped by 8.5 percent to approximately $39.9 billion, the data shows.

Moreover, JOGMEC said in its preliminary report las week that the average price of spot LNG cargoes for delivery to Japan contracted in December 2025 and scheduled to be delivered from the month onward (contract-based price) was $10.7/MMBtu.

The average price of spot LNG cargoes that were delivered in Japan within the month of December 2025 regardless of the month when the contracts were made (arrival-based price) was $11.3/MMBtu.

JOGMEC noted that the confirmed figures for November 2025 were not changed from the preliminary figures, with the contract-based price at $11.2/MMBtu, and the arrival-based price at $10.9/MMBtu.

LNG inventories

METI previously announced that Japan’s LNG inventories for power generation stood at 2.18 million tonnes on December 7, up from 2.07 million tonnes the previous week.

According to METI, LNG inventories stood at 2.14 million tonnes on December 14, 2.39 million tonnes on December 21, 2.43 million tonnes on December 28, 2.28 million tonnes on January 11, and 2.29 million tonnes on January 18.

Deliveries

As per LNG shipments going to Japan in 2025, deliveries from Asia dropped by 0.3 percent to 16.3 million tonnes, the ministry’s data shows.

Middle East LNG shipments decreased by 3 percent to 7.01 million tonnes last year.

Moreover, shipments from Russia rose by 2 percent to 5.8 million tonnes, while US deliveries dropped by 28.9 percent to 4.50 million tonnes in 2025.