Japanese gas firms shaping Australia’s energy policy through lobbying, report says

Japanese gas executives held more than 20 meetings with Australian government ministers during the current parliamentary term to lobby for policies that would prolong the fossil fuel industry and delay the transition to clean energy, according to a new report from the research group InfluenceMap.

The report alleges that major liquefied natural gas (LNG) companies—including Inpex, Jera, Mitsubishi, and Mitsui—sought preferential treatment to protect their interests across the Asia-Pacific. These firms hold more than AUD 70 billion in equity across 13 Australian LNG projects.

According to the findings, these projects have the potential to emit 290 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. That figure represents approximately two-thirds of Australia’s total annual climate pollution.

The lobbying efforts appear to have influenced key policy decisions, such as Australia’s 2024 "Future Gas Strategy." That strategy asserts that demand for new gas sources will continue "to 2050 and beyond," a claim that appears to contradict the net-zero emissions targets pledged by both the Australian and Japanese governments.

The report also challenges arguments regarding energy security used to justify the industry's expansion. Critics pointed out that Japanese companies resold more than one-third of the gas they purchased from Australia to third parties for a profit, rather than using it for domestic needs.

A report from InfluenceMap has pulled back the curtain on intensive lobbying efforts within Australia, revealing a high-stakes strategic struggle over the energy trajectory of the Indo-Pacific. The prevailing industry narrative—positioning natural gas as a "bridge fuel" to replace coal—is increasingly being exposed as a calculated effort by major corporations to lock the region into fossil fuel infrastructure for decades to come.

The implications for emerging economies, specifically Vietnam, are profound. As Hanoi navigates its complex transition away from coal, it has become a primary target for liquefied natural gas (LNG) surpluses, including volumes resold by Japanese firms. While subsidized LNG or supply deals brokered through political channels may offer a seductive short-term solution to energy shortages, they risk delaying the essential capital investment required for genuine renewable energy. This path threatens to tether Vietnam and its neighbors to a volatile and carbon-intensive commodity, while raising the specter of "stranded assets" as global decarbonization accelerates.

Framed under the banner of "Indo-Pacific energy security," these lobbying efforts demonstrate that the regional gas trade is no longer a matter of pure commerce, but a pillar of geopolitical strategy. By shaping the region’s energy dependency, policy decisions made in Canberra are exerting a powerful, long-term influence over the economic and environmental sovereignty of Vietnam.