Japan continues gas pipeline construction talks with Russia; no deal expected in near term
AMSTERDAM. May 19 (Interfax) - Japan, the world's biggest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is continuing talks with Russia on construction of a gas pipeline between the two countries, but there is little prospect for an agreement in the near term, the deputy head of Tokyo Gas' office in Paris, Takao Kasumi, said at the Flame 2014 conference.
A gas pipeline would provide an alternative source of imports, particularly when LNG prices are high, Kasumi said.
Several years ago Japan proposed to Gazprom construction of a gas pipeline from Sakhalin to Japan, but Gazprom felt that building an undersea pipeline along that route would be quite difficult.
Meanwhile, Japan continues discussing which nuclear power plants to de-commission and the schedule for doing that, Kasumi said.
