Japan imported 15.70 million tonnes of coal in January, up 2% year on year, showed the preliminary data from the Ministry of Finance on February 18.

The import value amounted to 334.09 billion yen ($2.14 billion) in January, down 13.2% from a year ago, data showed.

In January, coal imports from the U.S. jumped 49.4% year on year to 911,000 tonnes, with the value up 9.3% to 18.49 billion yen. Russian coal receipts surged 258.6% from the previous year to 92,000 tonnes, which was worth 1.88 billion yen, a 294.7% year-on-year hike.

Japan imported 9.90 million tonnes of thermal coal during the same month, down 4.8% on the year, with import value at 189.96 billion yen, down 21.8% year on year.

Thermal coal intakes from the U.S. were 458,000 tonnes, rising 37.3% from a year earlier, and the value fell 2.8% on the year to 7.40 billion yen.

Meanwhile, the country imported 92,000 tonnes of thermal coal from Russia, 340.3% higher than the same month last year, with the value skyrocketing 417.8% to 1.88 billion yen.

In January, Japan imported 2.66 million tonnes of coal from Asian countries, rising 7.3% on the year, with the value dropping 11.5% on the year to 51.81 billion yen. Thermal coal imports were 1.19 million tonnes, retreating 7.2% from a year ago; value decreased 21.5% year on year to 21.41 billion yen.

Imports from ASEAN countries amounted to 2.62 million tonnes, rising 5.8% year on year, with the value down 14.1% to 50.12 billion yen. Thermal coal intakes retreated 7.2% from a year earlier to 1.19 million tonnes, which was valued at 21.41 billion yen, a 21.5% slide year on year.

Japan also imported 6.24 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas during the month, down 6% from the preceding year; the value slid 18.1% on the year to 546.22 billion yen.