Italian energy company Eni (ENI.MI),  is in talks with Japan on supplying the country with liquefied natural gas (LNG), Cristian Signoretto, Eni's director for global gas and LNG portfolio, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference on Sunday.

"We already deal with Japanese buyers on a short-term basis and we would like to expand that collaboration also to a long-term basis," Signoretto said, adding that Eni plans to bring more LNG volumes to the market including from Indonesia and also wants Japanese financial institutions to support some projects.

Eni plans to build its LNG portfolio to 18 million metric tonnes per year by 2027 and would be ready to commit part of it to Japan if the opportunity is there, he added.

Signoretto said it was early to say about the specifics of the discussions, including whether Eni would insist on destination clauses, which are obligations in contracts for the buyer not to resell the gas to third parties.

In recent years, there has been a growing demand among Japanese buyers for deals with shorter duration and without destination clauses as this allows buyers in Japan, the world's second-biggest LNG importer, to stay flexible and also to resell LNG.

"Flexibility will be part of the discussion," Signoretto said, without providing details.