The U.S. Unconventional Hydrocarbon Renaissance and Impact on Japan

The recent surge in unconventional hydrocarbon resource development in the United States is a key component of the substantial shifts taking place across global oil and gas markets. The export potential for U.S. shale gas and coal offers major importing nations, including Japan, opportunities to diversify its energy resources. Abundant shale oil and gas production in the U.S. is also decreasing domestic reliance on oil imports, affecting international shipping lanes and security dynamics.

On January 14, the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings hosted a discussion on the overall energy security implications for Japan resulting from the hydrocarbon “renaissance” in the U.S. Panelists included Mikkal Herberg, research director in the Energy Security Program of the National Bureau of Asian Research; James Jensen, principal of Jensen Associates, Inc.; Hidehiro Muramatsu, general manager of the Washington Office of Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation; and Shoichi Itoh, senior researcher of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan. Senior Fellow Charles Ebinger, director of the Energy Security Initiative, provided introductory remarks and moderated the discussion.

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