
TOKYO -- Japanese oil giant Inpex will begin to explore a new domestic gas field in November, a move that could pave the way to greater energy security for the resource-poor nation facing rising import costs.
Inpex has already confirmed natural gas reserves in an area near the Minami-Nagaoka gas field, one of the largest in Japan. It will conduct a prospecting survey in the area until June 2023. The company plans to start production in 2026 if those reserves prove sufficient for commercialization.