Japan US LNG resales emit as much as 17 coal plants a year: Zero Carbon Analytics analysis

Zero Carbon Analytics found that between 2020 and 2025, Japan resold about 31% of its imported US LNG to other Asian countries. The emissions from those re-sales equal the annual output of roughly 17 coal plants. Japan is now the world's second-largest LNG trader, selling more US LNG abroad than it uses at home since 2021. The analysis covers the full lifecycle of LNG including extraction, liquefaction, transport, and combustion. It notes that US LNG exports have expanded under the current administration with new terminal approvals in Louisiana and Texas. Japan's JERA also signed 20-year US LNG import deals in 2025, even as domestic demand falls. The piece raises questions about whether these trades align with climate goals given the embedded emissions.