Megawati to visit Japan with LNG, coal, power on the agenda

President Megawati Soekarnoputri will lobby Japan to buy more Indonesian liquefied natural gas (LNG), coal and to lure Japanese companies to invest in Indonesian power sector, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said Tuesday.

Megawati will visit Japan December 9-12 and had been scheduled to meet with Japan?s top government and business officials.

Japan is Indonesia?s LNG market, with 12 million tons per annum of supply contracts to expire in 2010. Indonesia is working hard to get early contract extension with its Japanese customers and had been submitting proposal to sell LNG at cheaper price and more favorable terms in order to win contract extension.

Indonesia is one of suppliers of thermal coal used by Japan?s power companies.

Purnomo said Megawati would also lure Japanese companies to invest in Indonesian power sector, which badly need investment to increase capacity. Several Japan power investors had been detected to plan to invest in Indonesian power sector and Japan financial institution had also indicated readiness to back the investment.(alex/godang)