With the expiration of Japan's long-term contracts for the supply of LNG from the Russian Sakhalin-2 project, competitors see a chance to occupy the vacant niche. However, Tokyo, seeking to reduce dependence on Russian fuel and switch to clean energy, may not extend all agreements. Japan, the second largest importer of LNG in the world, receives 9% of gas from Russia (6 million tons per year), of which 5 million tons come under long-term contracts with Sakhalin-2. The main advantage of the project over competitors is its geographical proximity: gas delivery by sea takes only a few days, while from Australia or the USA it takes more than a week. Nevertheless, against the background of pressure from Western allies and the desire to reduce the share of gas in the energy balance from 33% to 20% by 2030, the Russian project is losing popularity. Tokyo increases the share of renewable energy from 26% to 38% and puts the development of green energy as a priority. The final decision on the contracts, which expire between 2026 and 2033, remains with the largest Japanese energy companies such as JERA.
