The Japanese government plans to ask households and businesses to save electricity this winter following a similar request in summer as a national power crunch continues, industry ministry officials said Thursday. The request to reduce winter power consumption across the country would be the first in seven years. It comes as the supply of liquefied natural gas used to fuel thermal power plants remains strained due to market disruptions stemming from Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said at a meeting of an experts’ panel on energy policy that it …