Japan's gas market deregulation reverberates widely
JXTG Group has thrown down the gauntlet to Tokyo Gas in a battle for the domestic retail market
The stakes are high—Japan's retail energy market is worth around $82.8bn. Although it's early days because the gas market was only deregulated in April 2017, most observers expect the current multitude of suppliers—about 200—to shrink to a handful of single-source giants selling electricity as well as gas. As Japan's largest natural gas utility, Tokyo Gas has a lot to defend. The 133-year-old group is the primary provider in nine main cities including Tokyo, with 11,600 residential, commercial and industrial customers. In 2017, gas sales accounted for 56.4% of all group sales and more than 65% of profits. But JXTG has a lot to aim for. Its domestic gas sales are a fraction of those of Tokyo
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
