Japan Prefers Gas to Oil
Economy, trade and industry minister of Japan recognized natural gas to be advantageous energy generating less carbon dioxide, in comparison with oil and coal at a time of uncertainty about energy supplies, referring to the possibility of war in Iraq.
It was mentioned also that oil is not without the problem of uneven distribution, being concentrated in the Middle East, while natural gas is more broadly distributed in different parts of the world
The Y500bn (ё2.6bn) deal with Iran and Qatar reflects Tokyo's strategy of diversifying from oil, which meets about half its energy needs. It also reflects Japan's search for more environmentally friendly sources of energy to meet Kyoto Protocol targets.
However Japan tries to improve relations between oil producers and consumers, to ease some of the tensions resulting from the uneven distribution of oil, and encourage oil consumers and producers to promote stable energy markets. ©
