IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v145y2021ics1364032121002963.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Prevalence of energy poverty in Japan: A comprehensive analysis of energy poverty vulnerabilities

Author

Listed:
  • Castaño-Rosa, Raúl
  • Okushima, Shinichiro

Abstract

Energy poverty, defined as the inability to fulfil adequate levels of domestic energy services, has been analysed in Japan previously. However, neither policy agendas nor official definitions of energy poverty have been established yet, resulting in the neglect of energy-poor households and other relevant aspects of this issue. This study is the first to examine the contextual factors of energy poverty in Japan, through the perspective of energy poverty vulnerabilities. The study uses a new multidimensional approach, covering the issues of affordability and accessibility to different forms of energy, as well as the effects of new technologies on the risk of energy poverty. The study develops several unexplored issues in previous literature, such as access to low-carbon energy as an issue in developed countries. The results highlight the role of location, infrastructure and household characteristics in influencing the risk of suffering energy poverty in Japan. The seasonality of energy poverty in Japan is also analysed, revealing higher rates of energy poverty in the northern regions during winter and in the southernmost region during summer. Finally, the impact of the ongoing energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy on energy poverty is discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Castaño-Rosa, Raúl & Okushima, Shinichiro, 2021. "Prevalence of energy poverty in Japan: A comprehensive analysis of energy poverty vulnerabilities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:145:y:2021:i:c:s1364032121002963
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121002963
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111006?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stefan Bouzarovski & Saska Petrova & Sergio Tirado-Herrero, 2014. "From Fuel Poverty to Energy Vulnerability: The Importance of Services, Needs and Practices," SPRU Working Paper Series 2014-25, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    2. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Lipson, Matthew M. & Chard, Rose, 2019. "Temporality, vulnerability, and energy justice in household low carbon innovations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 495-504.
    3. Hiyoshi, Ayako & Fukuda, Yoshiharu & Shipley, Martin J. & Brunner, Eric J., 2014. "Health inequalities in Japan: The role of material, psychosocial, social relational and behavioural factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 201-209.
    4. Kerr, N. & Winskel, M., 2020. "Household investment in home energy retrofit: A review of the evidence on effective public policy design for privately owned homes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    5. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Griffiths, Steve, 2020. "The cultural barriers to a low-carbon future: A review of six mobility and energy transitions across 28 countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    6. Larissa Nicholls & Yolande Strengers & Jathan Sadowski, 2020. "Social impacts and control in the smart home," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(3), pages 180-182, March.
    7. Ortiz, J. & Casquero-Modrego, N. & Salom, J., 2019. "Health and related economic effects of residential energy retrofitting in Spain," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 375-388.
    8. Timothy K. M. Beatty & Laura Blow & Thomas F. Crossley, 2014. "Is there a ‘heat-or-eat’ trade-off in the UK?," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 177(1), pages 281-294, January.
    9. Chapman, Andrew & Okushima, Shinichiro, 2019. "Engendering an inclusive low-carbon energy transition in Japan: Considering the perspectives and awareness of the energy poor," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    10. Wagner, Oliver & Wiegand, Julia, 2018. "Prepayment metering: Household experiences in Germany," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 407-414.
    11. McCauley, Darren & Heffron, Raphael, 2018. "Just transition: Integrating climate, energy and environmental justice," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 1-7.
    12. van der Kroon, Bianca & Brouwer, Roy & van Beukering, Pieter J.H., 2013. "The energy ladder: Theoretical myth or empirical truth? Results from a meta-analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 504-513.
    13. Bouzarovski, Stefan & Simcock, Neil, 2017. "Spatializing energy justice," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 640-648.
    14. Nathan, Hippu Salk Kristle & Hari, Lakshmikanth, 2020. "Towards a new approach in measuring energy poverty: Household level analysis of urban India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    15. Chen, Chien-fei & Li, Jiaxin & Shuai, Jing & Nelson, Hannah & Walzem, Allen & Cheng, Jinhua, 2021. "Linking social-psychological factors with policy expectation: Using local voices to understand solar PV poverty alleviation in Wuhan, China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    16. Betto, Frida & Garengo, Patrizia & Lorenzoni, Arturo, 2020. "A new measure of Italian hidden energy poverty," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    17. Okushima, Shinichiro, 2016. "Measuring energy poverty in Japan, 2004–2013," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 557-564.
    18. Scarpellini, Sabina & Sanz Hernández, M. Alexia & Llera-Sastresa, Eva & Aranda, Juan A. & López Rodríguez, María Esther, 2017. "The mediating role of social workers in the implementation of regional policies targeting energy poverty," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 367-375.
    19. Youngmee Jeon & Saehoon Kim, 2020. "Housing abandonment in shrinking cities of East Asia: Case study in Incheon, South Korea," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(8), pages 1749-1767, June.
    20. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Turnheim, Bruno & Hook, Andrew & Brock, Andrea & Martiskainen, Mari, 2021. "Dispossessed by decarbonisation: Reducing vulnerability, injustice, and inequality in the lived experience of low-carbon pathways," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    21. Yaqoot, Mohammed & Diwan, Parag & Kandpal, Tara C., 2016. "Review of barriers to the dissemination of decentralized renewable energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 477-490.
    22. Li, Kang & Lloyd, Bob & Liang, Xiao-Jie & Wei, Yi-Ming, 2014. "Energy poor or fuel poor: What are the differences?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 476-481.
    23. Alan Murie, 2018. "Shrinking the state in housing: challenges, transitions and ambiguities," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 11(3), pages 485-501.
    24. Caitlin Robinson & Sarah Lindley & Stefan Bouzarovski, 2019. "The Spatially Varying Components of Vulnerability to Energy Poverty," Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 109(4), pages 1188-1207, July.
    25. Zhang, Dayong & Li, Jiajia & Han, Phoumin, 2019. "A multidimensional measure of energy poverty in China and its impacts on health: An empirical study based on the China family panel studies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 72-81.
    26. Borozan, Djula, 2018. "Regional-level household energy consumption determinants: The european perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 347-355.
    27. Wolsink, Maarten, 2020. "Distributed energy systems as common goods: Socio-political acceptance of renewables in intelligent microgrids," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    28. Lin, Boqiang & Wang, Yao, 2020. "Does energy poverty really exist in China? From the perspective of residential electricity consumption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    29. Scarpellini, Sabina & Alexia Sanz Hernández, M. & Moneva, José M. & Portillo-Tarragona, Pilar & Rodríguez, María Esther López, 2019. "Measurement of spatial socioeconomic impact of energy poverty," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 320-331.
    30. Okushima, Shinichiro, 2017. "Gauging energy poverty: A multidimensional approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 1159-1166.
    31. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Kester, Johannes & Noel, Lance & de Rubens, Gerardo Zarazua, 2019. "Energy Injustice and Nordic Electric Mobility: Inequality, Elitism, and Externalities in the Electrification of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Transport," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 205-217.
    32. Kearns, Ade & Whitley, Elise & Curl, Angela, 2019. "Occupant behaviour as a fourth driver of fuel poverty (aka warmth & energy deprivation)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1143-1155.
    33. Dubois, Ute, 2012. "From targeting to implementation: The role of identification of fuel poor households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 107-115.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhao, Jun & Dong, Kangyin & Dong, Xiucheng & Shahbaz, Muhammad, 2022. "How renewable energy alleviate energy poverty? A global analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 299-311.
    2. Hartwig, Manuela & Emori, Seita & Asayama, Shinichiro, 2023. "Normalized injustices in the national energy discourse: A critical analysis of the energy policy framework in Japan through the three tenets of energy justice," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    3. Ma, Cong & Cheok, Mui Yee & Chok, Nyen Vui, 2023. "Economic recovery through multisector management resources in small and medium businesses in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    4. George E. Halkos & Panagiotis-Stavros C. Aslanidis, 2023. "Addressing Multidimensional Energy Poverty Implications on Achieving Sustainable Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-30, April.
    5. Simionescu, Mihaela & Radulescu, Magdalena & Cifuentes-Faura, Javier & Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel, 2023. "The role of renewable energy policies in TACKLING energy poverty in the European UNION," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    6. Zhao, Yujia & Shuai, Jing & Wang, Chaofan & Shuai, Chuanmin & Cheng, Xin & Wang, Yilan & Zhang, Zumeng & Ding, Liping & Zhu, Yongguang & Zhou, Na, 2023. "Do the photovoltaic poverty alleviation programs alleviate local energy poverty? —Empirical evidence of 9 counties in rural China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PD).
    7. Yu, Chenyang & Moslehpour, Massoud & Tran, Trung Kien & Trung, Lam Minh & Ou, Jenho Peter & Tien, Nguyen Hoang, 2023. "Impact of non-renewable energy and natural resources on economic recovery: Empirical evidence from selected developing economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    8. Okushima, Shinichiro, 2021. "Energy poor need more energy, but do they need more carbon? Evaluation of people's basic carbon needs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    9. Chaoxia Shan & Andante Hadi Pandyaswargo & Hiroshi Onoda, 2023. "Environmental Impact of Plastic Recycling in Terms of Energy Consumption: A Comparison of Japan’s Mechanical and Chemical Recycling Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, February.
    10. Chien, Fengsheng & Sadiq, Muhammad & Li, Li & Sharif, Arshian, 2023. "The role of sustainable energy utility, natural resource utilization and waste management in reducing energy poverty: Evidence from South Asian countries," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    11. Shahzad, Umer & Gupta, Mansi & Sharma, Gagan Deep & Rao, Amar & Chopra, Ritika, 2022. "Resolving energy poverty for social change: Research directions and agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    12. Kahouli, Sondès & Okushima, Shinichiro, 2021. "Regional energy poverty reevaluated: A direct measurement approach applied to France and Japan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Okushima, Shinichiro, 2021. "Energy poor need more energy, but do they need more carbon? Evaluation of people's basic carbon needs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    2. Kahouli, Sondès & Okushima, Shinichiro, 2021. "Regional energy poverty reevaluated: A direct measurement approach applied to France and Japan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    3. Fu Wang & Hong Geng & Donglan Zha & Chaoqun Zhang, 2023. "Multidimensional Energy Poverty in China: Measurement and Spatio-Temporal Disparities Characteristics," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 45-78, August.
    4. Lan, Jing & Khan, Sufyan Ullah & Sadiq, Muhammad & Chien, Fengsheng & Baloch, Zulfiqar Ali, 2022. "Evaluating energy poverty and its effects using multi-dimensional based DEA-like mathematical composite indicator approach: Findings from Asia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    5. Andrea Boeri & Valentina Gianfrate & Saveria Olga Murielle Boulanger & Martina Massari, 2020. "Future Design Approaches for Energy Poverty: Users Profiling and Services for No-Vulnerable Condition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-18, April.
    6. Chapman, Andrew & Okushima, Shinichiro, 2019. "Engendering an inclusive low-carbon energy transition in Japan: Considering the perspectives and awareness of the energy poor," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    7. Awan, Ashar & Bilgili, Faik & Rahut, Dil Bahadur, 2022. "Energy poverty trends and determinants in Pakistan: Empirical evidence from eight waves of HIES 1998–2019," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    8. Li, Jiajia & Li, Houjian, 2022. "Spiritual support or living support: Which alleviates solid fuel use for rural households in ethnical minority regions of China?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 479-491.
    9. Shahzad, Umer & Gupta, Mansi & Sharma, Gagan Deep & Rao, Amar & Chopra, Ritika, 2022. "Resolving energy poverty for social change: Research directions and agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    10. Laldjebaev, Murodbek & Hussain, Azmat, 2021. "Significance of context, metrics and datasets in assessment of multidimensional energy poverty: A case study of Tajikistan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    11. George E. Halkos & Panagiotis-Stavros C. Aslanidis, 2023. "Addressing Multidimensional Energy Poverty Implications on Achieving Sustainable Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-30, April.
    12. Huang, Yatao & Jiao, Wenxian & Wang, Kang & Li, Erling & Yan, Yutong & Chen, Jingyang & Guo, Xuanxuan, 2022. "Examining the multidimensional energy poverty trap and its determinants: An empirical analysis at household and community levels in six provinces of China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    13. Tiwari, Sunil & Si Mohammed, Kamel & Guesmi, Khaled, 2023. "A way forward to end energy poverty in China: Role of carbon-cutting targets and net-zero commitments," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    14. Husnain, Muhammad Iftikhar ul & Nasrullah, Nasrullah & Khan, Muhammad Aamir & Banerjee, Suvajit, 2021. "Scrutiny of income related drivers of energy poverty: A global perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    15. Magdalena Cyrek & Piotr Cyrek, 2022. "Rural Specificity as a Factor Influencing Energy Poverty in European Union Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-24, July.
    16. Scarpellini, Sabina & Alexia Sanz Hernández, M. & Moneva, José M. & Portillo-Tarragona, Pilar & Rodríguez, María Esther López, 2019. "Measurement of spatial socioeconomic impact of energy poverty," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 320-331.
    17. Dogan, Eyup & Madaleno, Mara & Taskin, Dilvin, 2021. "Which households are more energy vulnerable? Energy poverty and financial inclusion in Turkey," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    18. George E. Halkos & Eleni-Christina Gkampoura, 2021. "Coping with Energy Poverty: Measurements, Drivers, Impacts, and Solutions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-14, May.
    19. Zhao, Yujia & Shuai, Jing & Wang, Chaofan & Shuai, Chuanmin & Cheng, Xin & Wang, Yilan & Zhang, Zumeng & Ding, Liping & Zhu, Yongguang & Zhou, Na, 2023. "Do the photovoltaic poverty alleviation programs alleviate local energy poverty? —Empirical evidence of 9 counties in rural China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PD).
    20. Recep Ulucak & Ramazan Sari & Seyfettin Erdogan & Rui Alexandre Castanho, 2021. "Bibliometric Literature Analysis of a Multi-Dimensional Sustainable Development Issue: Energy Poverty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:145:y:2021:i:c:s1364032121002963. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.