Overview
Japan — key energy statistics
100%
Oil import dependency — essentially zero domestic production
~75 MT/yr
LNG imports — world's 4th largest
0 → 12
Nuclear reactors: shut post-Fukushima → restarting
¥150 T
GX (Green Transformation) investment over 10 years
30–45 GW
Offshore wind target by 2040
2011
Fukushima — 37.42°N 141.03°E
Energy imports · GPS-located terminals
Japan's import infrastructure — the most LNG-dependent major economy on Earth
Japan has almost no domestic fossil fuels. Every barrel of oil, every cubic metre of gas, every tonne of coal must arrive by ship. This makes Japan the world's most sophisticated energy import infrastructure builder — and permanently exposed to global energy prices, shipping disruptions, and the decisions of exporting countries.
LNG import dominance:
Japan was the world's largest LNG importer from the inception of the LNG trade (1969, first cargo from Alaska to Tokyo) until China overtook it in 2021. Japan's LNG import terminals are among the world's most sophisticated: Futtsu (35.28°N 139.86°E, TEPCO, 14.6 MTPA), Sodegaura (35.47°N 139.80°E, Tokyo Gas, 8.7 MTPA), Negishi Yokohama (35.43°N 139.65°E, 3.3 MTPA). Japan pays among the world's highest LNG prices — historically purchasing under long-term oil-indexed contracts where price is linked to Japan Crude Cocktail (JCC) price rather than the US Henry Hub. Post-Fukushima, Japan's LNG import bill added approximately $30–40 billion/year to the national energy bill, contributing to a persistent current account deficit. Japan is the primary customer for Australian, Qatari, and US LNG. JERA (JEran Energy, 35.66°N 139.74°E, Tokyo — JV between TEPCO Fuel & Power and Chubu Electric) is the world's largest LNG importer as a single buyer. Source: JERA Annual Report 2023 · METI Japan.
Japan was the world's largest LNG importer from the inception of the LNG trade (1969, first cargo from Alaska to Tokyo) until China overtook it in 2021. Japan's LNG import terminals are among the world's most sophisticated: Futtsu (35.28°N 139.86°E, TEPCO, 14.6 MTPA), Sodegaura (35.47°N 139.80°E, Tokyo Gas, 8.7 MTPA), Negishi Yokohama (35.43°N 139.65°E, 3.3 MTPA). Japan pays among the world's highest LNG prices — historically purchasing under long-term oil-indexed contracts where price is linked to Japan Crude Cocktail (JCC) price rather than the US Henry Hub. Post-Fukushima, Japan's LNG import bill added approximately $30–40 billion/year to the national energy bill, contributing to a persistent current account deficit. Japan is the primary customer for Australian, Qatari, and US LNG. JERA (JEran Energy, 35.66°N 139.74°E, Tokyo — JV between TEPCO Fuel & Power and Chubu Electric) is the world's largest LNG importer as a single buyer. Source: JERA Annual Report 2023 · METI Japan.
Oil import geography:
Japan imports approximately 3 million bbl/day of crude oil — primarily from Saudi Arabia (~38%), UAE (~26%), Kuwait (~8%), Qatar (~7%), Russia (declining post-2022), and USA. Japan's refineries are concentrated in Tokyo Bay, Osaka Bay, and Nagoya — all deep-water capable of receiving VLCCs. Japan has approximately 90 days of oil reserves (IEA emergency stockholding requirement) maintained in government tanks and mandatory commercial stocks. Japan's strategic petroleum reserve sites: Tomakomai (42.63°N 141.62°E), Shirashima (34.12°N 130.38°E), Shibushi (31.46°N 131.11°E). The entire flow must traverse Hormuz (26.56°N 56.25°E) and Malacca (1.25°N 103.82°E) — Japan has essentially no energy security buffer if these chokepoints close. Source: METI Japan · IEA Japan 2023.
Japan imports approximately 3 million bbl/day of crude oil — primarily from Saudi Arabia (~38%), UAE (~26%), Kuwait (~8%), Qatar (~7%), Russia (declining post-2022), and USA. Japan's refineries are concentrated in Tokyo Bay, Osaka Bay, and Nagoya — all deep-water capable of receiving VLCCs. Japan has approximately 90 days of oil reserves (IEA emergency stockholding requirement) maintained in government tanks and mandatory commercial stocks. Japan's strategic petroleum reserve sites: Tomakomai (42.63°N 141.62°E), Shirashima (34.12°N 130.38°E), Shibushi (31.46°N 131.11°E). The entire flow must traverse Hormuz (26.56°N 56.25°E) and Malacca (1.25°N 103.82°E) — Japan has essentially no energy security buffer if these chokepoints close. Source: METI Japan · IEA Japan 2023.
Nuclear restart
Fukushima, the shutdown, and the long road back to nuclear
From 30% to zero and back:
Before Fukushima, nuclear provided approximately 30% of Japan's electricity from 54 reactors. The disaster (Fukushima Daiichi, 37.42°N 141.03°E — full documentation on Energy Timeline page) led to the shutdown of every reactor in Japan for safety reviews. By 2013, Japan had zero nuclear electricity for the first time in decades. To replace nuclear, Japan burned approximately $40 billion/year more LNG and oil — significantly damaging the national current account and contributing to higher electricity prices for industry and households. Public opinion turned strongly anti-nuclear. The restart process, managed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), requires each reactor to pass new post-Fukushima safety standards (hardened filtered containment vents, enhanced tsunami protection, hydrogen management). By 2024, 12 reactors have restarted, generating approximately 9% of electricity. Japan's 6th Strategic Energy Plan (METI 2021) targets 20–22% nuclear by 2030. Additional restarts in progress: Shimane 2 (35.54°N 132.99°E, 820 MW), Onagawa (38.41°N 141.49°E, 825 MW), Tokai 2 (36.47°N 140.60°E, 1,100 MW). Japan has also approved extending operating lifetimes beyond 40 years for safe reactors — unprecedented pre-Fukushima policy. Source: NRA Japan · ANRE Japan · METI 6th Strategic Energy Plan.
Before Fukushima, nuclear provided approximately 30% of Japan's electricity from 54 reactors. The disaster (Fukushima Daiichi, 37.42°N 141.03°E — full documentation on Energy Timeline page) led to the shutdown of every reactor in Japan for safety reviews. By 2013, Japan had zero nuclear electricity for the first time in decades. To replace nuclear, Japan burned approximately $40 billion/year more LNG and oil — significantly damaging the national current account and contributing to higher electricity prices for industry and households. Public opinion turned strongly anti-nuclear. The restart process, managed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), requires each reactor to pass new post-Fukushima safety standards (hardened filtered containment vents, enhanced tsunami protection, hydrogen management). By 2024, 12 reactors have restarted, generating approximately 9% of electricity. Japan's 6th Strategic Energy Plan (METI 2021) targets 20–22% nuclear by 2030. Additional restarts in progress: Shimane 2 (35.54°N 132.99°E, 820 MW), Onagawa (38.41°N 141.49°E, 825 MW), Tokai 2 (36.47°N 140.60°E, 1,100 MW). Japan has also approved extending operating lifetimes beyond 40 years for safe reactors — unprecedented pre-Fukushima policy. Source: NRA Japan · ANRE Japan · METI 6th Strategic Energy Plan.
Questions
Questions about Japan's energy
Why is Japan so dependent on LNG and can it reduce this dependence?
Japan's LNG dependence has structural and historical roots that cannot be quickly unwound. Why it happened: Japan has almost no domestic fossil fuel resources — its coal and oil fields are tiny and depleted. In the 1960s, Japan built its industrial economy on cheap imported oil from the Middle East, then diversified to LNG (first global LNG trade, 1969) after the 1973 oil shock. Nuclear was supposed to reduce LNG dependence — but Fukushima removed 30% of Japan's electricity at a stroke, forcing a massive increase in LNG imports. Why it persists: LNG is the only fuel that can be easily imported in large volumes by sea and converted to electricity through existing gas infrastructure. Japan has limited interconnection with neighboring grids (South Korea, China) that could provide backup power. Japanese topography (mountainous) limits hydro expansion. Offshore wind is promising but requires 10+ years of development. Can it be reduced? Yes — Japan's 6th Strategic Energy Plan targets reducing LNG's electricity share from approximately 33% (2023) to approximately 20% by 2030 through nuclear restarts (contributing ~20%), offshore wind (~8%), and solar expansion (~15%). Japan also intends to import hydrogen and ammonia (using its existing LNG import infrastructure converted to receive ammonia/hydrogen carriers) as green fuel for power stations. JERA has committed to co-firing 20% ammonia in its LNG power plants by 2030 — a world first. Source: METI 6th Strategic Energy Plan · JERA Green Ammonia programme · IEA Japan 2023.
Provenance
Attribution and citation
- Sources
- IEA Japan Energy Policy 2023 · METI 6th Strategic Energy Plan 2021 · JERA Annual Report 2023 · NRA Japan · ANRE Japan Annual Report 2024
- Cite as
- "Japan Energy Profile", The Energy Codex, https://thecodex.expert/energy/countries/japan/, last updated .