Japan imported 13.25 million tonnes of coal in November, down 2.9% year on year, showed the preliminary data from the Ministry of Finance on December 18.

The import value amounted to 338.05 billion yen ($2.2 billion) in November, down 19.6% from a year ago, data showed.

In November, coal imports from the U.S. rose 23.1% year on year to 1.14 million tonnes, with the value down 14.6% to 30.09 billion yen. Russian coal receipts decreased 56.7% from the previous year to 85,000 tonnes, which was worth 1.56 billion yen, a 72.2% year-on-year tumble.

Japan imported 8.48 million tonnes of thermal coal during the same month, up 2.2% on the year, with import value at 200.20 billion yen, declining 10.2% year on year.

Thermal coal intakes from the U.S. were 0.58 million tonnes, surging 205.5% from a year earlier; value hiked 104.2% on the year to 12.55 billion yen.

Meanwhile, the country imported 69,000 tonnes of thermal coal from Russia, 55.1% lower than the same month last year, with the value down 71.7% to 1.13 billion yen.

In November, Japan imported 1.74 million tonnes of coal from Asian countries, decreasing 20.8% on the year, with the value down 27.5% on the year to 40.4 billion yen. Thermal coal imports were 0.77 million tonnes, falling 37.1% from a year ago; value decreased 44% year on year to 16.31 billion yen.

Imports from ASEAN countries amounted to 1.71 million tonnes, declining 21% year on year, with the value down 27.7% to 39.39 billion yen. Thermal coal intakes rose 37.1% from a year earlier to 0.77 million tonnes, which was valued at 16.31 billion yen, a 44% decline.

Japan also imported 5.05 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas during the month, down 5.3% from the preceding year; value fell 2.5% on the year to 483.14 billion yen.