12:51 July 4, 2022.
On June 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the sensational Decree No. 416 “On the application of special economic measures in the fuel and energy sector in connection with the unfriendly actions of certain foreign states and international organizations”, according to which it was instructed to change the operator of the Sakhalin-2 offshore project. About it Sah.com wrote previously.
July 3 on the website of the Japanese newspaper “Hokkaido simbun“an editorial was published. Sakhalin-2 has been requisitioned. We urgently need to look for other ways to supply LNG.” The author was not shy about interpretations: “It seems that all the rights of the Sakhalin Energy company will be transferred to the new enterprise. The actions of the Russian government are actually in the nature of a requisition.”
Japanese capital is actively involved in the Sakhalin-2 project: 12.5% of the shares belong to the Mitsui Bussan company and 10% to the Mitsubishi Shoji company. About 60% of the liquefied natural gas produced under the project is supplied to Japan, which is 9% of LNG imports to the Land of the Rising Sun. In order for both of the above companies to continue to participate in the Sakhalin-2 project, the author of the publication writes, it is necessary to agree to the terms of the new enterprise established by the Russian side. “The decree of the President of the Russian Federation is contrary to the customs of trade and in no case can be permissible. The Government of Japan should express a sharp protest,” the author is indignant.
The indignation of the Japanese side is understandable. Energy and gas companies in the neighboring country are linked to Sakhalin Energy by long-term contracts, but in light of recent events, LNG supplies have been threatened. Japan understands that these measures are caused by Tokyo joining the international anti-Russian sanctions, and are looking for measures to speed up the search for other ways of supplying energy resources.
The Japanese side believes that Russia is violating its contractual obligations under the Sakhalin-2 project and thereby creating a threat to its own economic security, not to mention potential losses. In addition, such actions, taken unilaterally, make them lose confidence at the international level, the material says.
The main publication of the Hokkaido Governorate did not fail to criticize the government, which “should have foreseen the development of such a situation and, in order to protect national interests, provide fallback options (supplies of LNG), but this was not done.” In the current conditions, when the world has intensified the struggle for this type of fuel, which is characterized by a relatively low level of emissions into the atmosphere and is becoming more expensive against the background of the refusal of world powers from supplies from Russia, Japanese experts urge their government not to linger and ensure the protection of national interests.
Japan joined the international anti-Russian sanctions and in February and March introduced a number of measures against a number of Russian officials, as well as leading Russian enterprises and banks. In response to this, on March 7, the Kremlin introduced list of unfriendly countries and Japan. Later, the Russian Foreign Ministry decided terminate the negotiation process with Japan on the issue of concluding a peace treaty, the main subject of which was the resolution of the territorial dispute over the ownership of the southern part of the Kuril Islands.