TOKYO, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Japan's energy security will

benefit from U.S. President Donald Trump's push to increase

liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, an executive at JERA,

Japan's top LNG buyer, said on Friday, while allowing the

company to diversify its suppliers.

LNG imports by Japan, the world's second biggest buyer after

China, continued to fall last year, decreasing by 0.4% to 65.9

million metric tons (mt). Shipments from the U.S., Japan's key

ally, rose, while supplies from Russia reduced further.

After retaking office on Jan 20, Trump ordered the U.S.

Energy Department to resume the consideration of LNG export

applications after the Biden administration froze them.

"For Japan, which cannot supply its own energy resources,

from the prospects of security, the fact that a large amount of

U.S.-produced gas would be exported is a positive factor,"

Naohiro Maekawa, an executive officer with JERA, told reporters.

While its own domestic gas consumption is declining due to a

weaker economy, increasing use of renewable energy, and nuclear

power plant restarts, Japan is increasing LNG trade globally: it

grew 21% to 38.25 mt in the fiscal year ended last March.

Reuters reported on Friday that Japan is considering

offering support for a $44 billion gas pipeline in Alaska as it

seeks to court Trump and forestall potential trade friction,

according to three officials familiar with the matter.

For JERA itself, more U.S. LNG provides a good option to

diversify its supply portfolio, Maekawa said. JERA, Japan's top

utility, handles around 30-35 mt of LNG annually, with nearly a

half coming from the Asia Pacific region, including Australia,

Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as from Russia.

Profits of JERA, a joint venture of Tokyo Electric Power Co ( TKECF )

and Chubu Electric Power Co ( CHUEF ), halved to 155

billion yen ($1 billion) in the third quarter of the fiscal year

ending in March from 339 billion yen a year ago.

Results were weaker due to a profitability fall from JERA's

overseas power generation, fuel and renewable energy business,

including from the Formosa 2 offshore wind project in Taiwan,

Maekawa said.

JERA kept its profit forecast for the full fiscal year

unchanged at 200 billion yen.

($1 = 154.8300 yen)

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi

Writing by Katya Golubkova

Editing by Lincoln Feast.)