OREANDA-NEWS  The Ministry of Finance of Japan announced the exemption of the Russian Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2 and Arctic LNG 2 projects from sanctions related to construction and engineering services. This is reported by Interfax with reference to the Japanese Ministry of Economy.

Restrictions in connection with the events in Ukraine on May 26 were imposed on 80 Russian companies. From September 30, they will cease to apply to the provision of construction and engineering services related to the exploration, production, liquefaction, storage, transportation, transshipment of oil and natural gas for these Russian oil and gas industry projects.

The easing of sanctions was explained by the need to ensure Japan's energy security. For the same reasons, the country retains a share in all three projects. The corresponding statement by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was previously quoted by RIA Novosti.

Shortly before the introduction of the May sanctions, Russian Consul General in Sapporo Sergey Marin said that Japan not only did not withdraw from Arctic LNG 2, but also plans to increase Russian gas supplies from there by 2 million tons per year.

Earlier it was reported that Japan, which is the world's largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), reduced its purchases to a 20-year low. In May, year-on-year supplies to the country fell by about a third, to 4 million tons.