Russia sent its first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan on Sunday from a Pacific island project that will allow the Kremlin to extend its reach in world energy markets from Europe into Asia and North America.
Sakhalin Energy, controlled by gas export monopoly Gazprom, loaded the 145,000-cubic-metre cargo for the two-day voyage to Tokyo Bay and the first Japanese buyers of Russian gas: Tokyo Gas Co and Tokyo Electric Power Co.
‘Russia has marked its entry into the Asia Pacific LNG market and Japan and Korea have a new long-term energy partner,’ Sakhalin Energy Chief Executive Ian Craig said in a statement.