Japan imported 12.12 million tonnes of coal in April, up 0.8% year on year, with the import value reaching 292.95 billion yen ($1.84 billion), up 18.4%, according to preliminary trade data from the Ministry of Finance released on May 21.

Imports from the U.S. totaled 869,000 tonnes, up 17.2% year on year, valued at 19.5 billion yen, up 16%. Shipments from Russia surged 128.5% to 192,000 tonnes, with the value jumping 159.1% to 4.19 billion yen.

Thermal coal imports stood at 7.1 million tonnes, down 4.5% year on year, though the import value rose 9.8% to 148.26 billion yen.

U.S. thermal coal shipments to Japan more than doubled to 502,000 tonnes, up 109.1% year on year, with the value rising 88.7% to 8.89 billion yen. Russian thermal coal imports surged 158% to 177,000 tonnes, with the value soaring 253.7% to 3.93 billion yen.

Imports from Asia totaled 1.83 million tonnes, down 0.9% year on year, valued at 40.32 billion yen, up 17.4%. Thermal coal shipments from the region rose 19.6% to 1.09 million tonnes, with the value up 43.5% to 21.48 billion yen.

Imports from ASEAN countries were flat year on year at 1.83 million tonnes, with the value up 18.9% to 40.16 billion yen. Thermal coal from ASEAN rose 21.4% to 1.09 million tonnes, with the value up 46.4% to 21.48 billion yen.

Japan's liquefied natural gas imports fell 20.6% year on year to 4.27 million tonnes in April, with the value down 20.2% to 379.48 billion yen.