A56 That's right. It is essential to procure the right to energy resources such as oil, natural gas and coal. The job of developing secure energy supplies for Japan is probably
one of the most important roles of trading companies. Itochu Corp. and Marubeni Corp. are participating in a Russian offshore gas and oil develop-ment project in Sakhalin known as the Sakhalin- I project. Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corp. are involved in the Sakhalin-2 project.

However, energy development which involves the interests of oil-producing countries and the major oil companies can be influenced by fluctuating political concerns, making this a high-risk business. Three companies-the international oil company Royal-Dutch Shell, Mitsui and Mitsubishi-were forced at the end of 2006 to transfer the majoriry of their shares in the organization operating the Sakhalin-2 project to Gazprom.