This article explores a new report detailing several meetings between Australian government ministers and executives from Japanese gas companies. According to the study by InfluenceMap, more than 20 of these meetings took place during the last parliamentary term as Japanese firms pushed for policies that favor fossil fuels.

The report notes that these companies have invested over A$70 billion in Australian liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, which are linked to high levels of yearly carbon dioxide emissions. InfluenceMap argues that this lobbying helped shape government plans, such as the "future gas strategy." Critics warn that these close ties risk locking the country into a long-term dependence on fossil fuels.