During his visit to Algeria, Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Nobuo Kishi said that his country is interested in importing Algerian gas, the official APS news agency reported.
According to the report, the Japanese official held talks with Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines Youcef Yousfi, and said he wanted to see Japanese companies become involved in development projects in the energy sector in the North African country, particularly in the fields of "technological development and locally manufacturing industrial equipments."
Kishi praised the ties between the two countries and highlighted "the efforts made by Algeria to facilitate, encourage and strengthen the participation of Japanese companies in the development of the hydrocarbon sector and mining," the source added.
"Algeria is one of the safest gas suppliers in the world," Shigeru Muraki, executive manager of the Tokyo Gas Company, said in 2012, on the sidelines of the 26th edition of Gas Tech exhibition. "Japan is currently studying the possibility of importing natural gas from countries across the Atlantic to diversify its resources, and in this context, Algeria can play a key role."
Japan's main natural gas suppliers include Russia, Malaysia and Australia. The East Asian country has been intensifying its search for alternative energy sources after it renounced its nuclear energy program following the Fukushima plant incident of March 2011, when a powerful earthquake and tsunami hit its reactors.
Kishi had previously said that Japan wants to cooperate closely with Algeria on security to maintain stability in the Sahel region. He further praised the intervention of Algerian security forces in Tiguentourine gas field after militants took foreign workers, including Japanese nationals, hostage in January 2013.
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