Japanese Officials Met with Energy Companies in Moscow

Japanese government officials met with executives from Russian metal and LNG companies during a visit to Moscow last week, in a rare high-level commercial contact following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian government representatives also participated in the talks. The visit is considered one of the most significant commercial dialogues between the two countries since President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Japan maintains limited contact with Russia for energy security while aligning with Western sanctions. The meeting reportedly focused on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and metal trade. Japan meets a significant portion of its energy needs through LNG imports, with Russia being a key supplier in this area. Experts say such talks are part of Japan's efforts to ensure energy supply security, but commercial relations will remain limited due to international sanctions. This is not investment advice.