Japanese METI, U.S. DOE Discuss Cooperation in Energy Sector

Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Toshimitsu Motegi, and U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, met on July 24 in Washington, D.C. Both sides noted the central role played by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in U.S.-Japan energy cooperation, particularly on energy security matters, civil nuclear energy and clean energy technology research and development (R&D).

In recognition of the gas exchange experiment conducted in Alaska in 2012 and the gas production experiment conducted in Japan in 2013, both sides reconfirmed the cooperation on methane hydrates stated in the Statement of Intent signed in 2008, including consideration of a long-term gas production experiment in Alaska.

Minister Motegi welcomed the export approval of the Freeport LNG Project on May 17th by DOE.

The United States commits to inform Japan about the statutory process required by the Natural Gas Act which governs the evaluations of LNG export applications, to FTA countries and to non-FTA countries such as Japan.

The NGA directs the U.S. Department of Energy to evaluate LNG export applications to non-FTA countries.

To date, two applications have received conditional approval to export LNG to non-FTA countries.

The DOE is currently evaluating pending applications on a case-by-case basis.