MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. In the coming years, Russian coal exports will be directed mainly toward the Asian market, with China and India as the key destinations. In the longer term, supplies to Japan may also increase, partner at the consulting firm NEFT Research and founder of analytical agency Alfastat Danil Tokmin said during the presentation of a report on the prospects for coal exports.

"There is already a trend: Japanese consumers, including energy companies, are probing the market and testing some elements of the regulatory agenda, since Russian coal, broadly speaking, remains competitive. <…> Should the geopolitical situation shift somewhat in a different direction, we could see the resumption of deliveries to certain countries. But first and foremost, of course, it will be Asian nations," the expert stated.

In his opinion, the main destinations for boosting coal exports in the coming years will be China, India, and Turkey. "I would say that China will grow, India will grow, Turkey will grow, and perhaps some other deliveries across the Asia-Pacific region will recover," Tokmin noted.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Finance, Russian coal exports to Japan in August fell by 44.9%.