Gas-importing Japan pins hope on ‘fire ice’

In what is being described as a world first, Japan has extracted natural gas from offshore deposits of frozen methane hydrate.

This is potentially game-changing technology. Carbon from methane hydrates worldwide is believed to be double that found in all of earth’s fossil fuels.

Researchers say it could provide an alternative energy source for Japan which imports all its energy needs.

Al Jazeera’s Gerald Tan reports.