Japan to overtake China as top LNG importer
The gist
Analysts ICIS and Kpler forecast Japan will edge past China in 2026 LNG imports.
The shift reflects China's weak buying, not stronger Japanese demand.
How it unfolded
- 2021China first took the top LNG importer spot after years of rapid growth.
- 2022Japan briefly regained first place amid COVID restrictions.
- 2023 -2025China held the top LNG importer position.
Key terms
- LNG
- Natural gas cooled to liquid form for easier and safer storage or transport, taking up far less volume.
- Mt
- A unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms, also called a metric ton.
Source: Wikipedia