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9/7/11 (AEIN) Japan's government has requested that Australia supply the northeast Asian country with additional coal and other energy resources. The Japanese government forsees rising demand for fossil fuels as an alternative to nuclear power, Radio Japan reported on Wednesday.
The supply of nuclear energy has decreased in Japan following the failure of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and the temporary closure of some reactors in other parts of the country (for safety reasons). Meanwhile, public opposition to the construction of new plants has increased dramatically following the Fukushima disaster.
Japan is one of Australia's main trading partners, particularly with regard to its exports, according to the World Almanac and Book of Facts. With a large population, passenger vehicles counted in the tens of millions and a higher rate of television ownership than the U.K., Japan must import large volumes of fossil fuels from other countries.
Australia already sells considerable quantities of coal to Asian countries, particularly China. Although nearly as large as the United States, it has a relatively small population of roughly 19 million, thus enabling it to easily export many fossil fuel products.