How major LNG deal with Japan signals Malaysia as rising Asean ‘middle power’

Japan’s signing of a 20-year LNG supply deal with Malaysia’s Petronas has cast the Southeast Asian country as a valuable energy and security partner, as Tokyo looks to protect itself from global supply shocks and deepen ties with trusted allies. The latest move also underscores how, amid the energy crisis, Asian nations are striking deals bilaterally, with Malaysia leveraging its vast natural resources to rise as a “middle power”, according to analysts. Under the agreement announced during...