Sojitz Sees Beyond Rare Earths in Non-Nuclear Japan

Sojitz Corp., Japan’s top trader of rare earths, plans to tap into the nation’s shift from nuclear power by setting up its own liquefied natural gas business and building solar plants, said Chief Executive Officer Yoji Sato.

The smallest of Japan’s six major trading houses, Sojitz is a minority shareholder in gas and LNG projects in Indonesia and Qatar, and is now considering independent investments in Nigeria, Australia and Canada, Sato said in an interview in Tokyo Dec. 11.