President Donald Trump and his energy tsar Doug Burgum discussed the possibility of Japan helping to unlock gas in Alaska and ship it to U.S. allies in Asia during a recent meeting with Japanese premier Shigeru Ishiba. The venture was framed as a way for Japan to replace Middle East energy shipments and address its trade imbalance with the U.S. Japan expressed tentative support for the $44 billion Alaska LNG project, despite doubts about its viability. The Trump administration is seeking to strengthen economic relations with East Asia by increasing investment in American fossil fuels, particularly LNG, in order to tap into concerns about tariffs and the security of sea lanes. Japan's participation in this strategy is critical as it is the world's second-largest LNG buyer and a major investor in energy infrastructure.