Japan imported 14.87 million tonnes of coal in July 2026, down 5.5% year on year, according to preliminary trade data released by the Ministry of Finance on August 20.

The value of coal imports rose 33.4% from a year earlier to 395.06 billion yen ($2.50 billion).

Imports from the United States totaled 1.07 million tonnes, up 18.8% year on year, with the value reaching 27.10 billion yen, up 63.2%. Imports from Russia fell 50.4% to 109,000 tonnes, with the value down 51.9% at 2.10 billion yen.

Thermal coal imports stood at 8.82 million tonnes, down 9.1% year on year, while the import value rose 29.4% to 213.40 billion yen.

Thermal coal imports from the United States totaled 493,000 tonnes, up 2.6% year on year, with the value up 44% at 11.48 billion yen. Imports from Russia fell 55% to 89,000 tonnes, with the value down 55.2% at 1.71 billion yen.

Coal imports from Asian countries totaled 1.95 million tonnes in July, down 23.6% year on year, with the value up 11.8% at 47.65 billion yen. Thermal coal imports from the region fell 50.6% to 594,000 tonnes, with the value down 30.7% at 12.44 billion yen.

Imports from ASEAN countries totaled 1.83 million tonnes, down 27.3% year on year, with the value up 6.7% at 44.30 billion yen. Thermal coal imports from ASEAN fell 50.9% to 591,000 tonnes, with the value down 31.4% at 12.31 billion yen.

Japan's liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports totaled 5.01 million tonnes in July, down 4.8% year on year, with the value up 22.5% at 548.02 billion yen.