Hagiuda told a news conference that would help secure stable energy supply for Japan.

Details of the conditions for Japanese trading houses to apply for a stake in the new Russian entity were still not clear, but the ministry was not aware of any request by the Russian side for additional investment or financial burden to join the new company, Hagiuda said.

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)