Inpex spends on upstream and LNG to shore up supply security
Japanese energy player Inpex is keeping an eye on the future as it invests in foreign upstream developments, chief executive Toshiaki Kitamura tells Kwok W Wan in an exclusive interview
After last year’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Japan needs gas. And Japanese energy firm Inpex firmly believes that investing in overseas upstream and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects is vital to not only diversify the country’s import sources, but to ensure security of supply.Japanese LNG imports hit a record high of 78.5 million tonnes last year, after the country started using gas-fired generators to offset the shutdown of its nuclear power plants. In May this year, all 54 reactors were offline. And, without any indication of when they will be brought back into operation, imports for 2012 could set new record highs. “As a result of the Fukushima incident, the most serious issue
Also in this section
19 January 2026
Newfound optimism is emerging that a dormant exploration frontier could become a strategic energy play and—whisper it quietly—Europe’s next offshore opportunity
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
