Japan, Italy to Boost LNG Cooperation; Aimed at Diversifying Japan’s LNG Sources

The Yomiuri Shimbun

2:00 JST, January 16, 2026

Japan and Italy intend to strengthen cooperation in liquefied natural gas supply and development.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, who was to arrive in Japan on Thursday, were to confirm the importance of collaborating on energy security at a summit meeting between the two leaders.

A key pillar of this cooperation assumes that Italian energy giant Eni S.p.A., which holds a significant interest in Africa, will supply LNG to Japan during an emergency. Japan’s financial institutions will support Eni’s natural gas development project in Mozambique.

Eni signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security in October 2024 and has been advancing discussions on specific supply volumes.

Japan mainly imports LNG from Australia, Malaysia and the United States. The partnership with Eni is aimed at diversifying Japan’s procurement sources.