JERA, Japan's largest liquified natural gas (LNG) purchaser, said at its July 31 earnings briefing that the firm has locked in sufficient LNG supplies lasting until October, eliminating the risk of gas shortages amid summer air-conditioning demand peaks.

"We have secured sufficient LNG stocks for the peak summer demand season from August to October, and there are no issues regarding stable power supply," stated a senior executive of the firm.

The executive also noted that JERA has drastically cut its LNG procurement from Qatar, and its global trading arm will secure sufficient supplies for the upcoming winter heating season.

Japan relies heavily on imported fossil fuels, with the Middle East once its key source of oil and natural gas. Geopolitical conflicts disrupting regional energy exports have pushed Japan to seek alternative suppliers rapidly, and the U.S. has grown into its top low-risk LNG provider.

As the world's largest LNG buyer, JERA unveiled plans last year to triple its annual U.S. LNG imports to 5.5 million tonnes. The planned volume marks a 10% rise against its current intake from the U.S., accounting for one-third of its overall LNG imports.

JERA keeps advancing supply diversification. The firm sealed a 20-year LNG supply contract with Malaysia's Petronas in June, with deliveries scheduled to commence in 2028. Malaysia ranks as Japan's second-biggest LNG supplier, only behind Australia.

Under the Petronas contract, JERA will receive 2 million tonnes of LNG each year, supplementing its existing supply agreements.

Apart from lifting purchases from non-Middle Eastern exporters, Japanese power utilities boosted coal-fired power generation earlier this year to shore up power security.