Alaska LNG, white whale of US-Japan ties, key to tariff talks

Pipeline that has dogged relations since 1998 finds new life with Trump's demands

Japan's chief tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are holding their second round of talks on May 1. (Source photos by Nikkei, Reuters)

HIROFUMI MATSUO

May 1, 2025 03:38 JST

TOKYO -- Natural gas development in Alaska has reemerged as a crucial topic in U.S.-Japan ties as the countries prepare for a second round of negotiations Thursday over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans.

Trump has said Japan and South Korea are both interested in investing, though the project has fallen through multiple times before. Rather than dismiss the idea as unviable, Japan needs to find a way to involve other Asian countries, using the project to its advantage this time.