An Analysis of the Consumption of Resources and Energy in Japanese Regions Using Interregional Input-Output Tables

Abstract

Under the growing awareness of the global environmental issues, the Japanese Government has been enacting various laws for energy saving and material recycling to promote the formation of environment-friendly society.The input-output analysis is a useful tool to examine economic structural problems concerning the economic growth, the industrial structure and the environment. Several researches have been conducted to identify the efficiency of resources and energy consumption of Japanese industries using input-output analysis. However, we have few researches on the relationship between the industrial structure and the resources and energy consumption in Japanese regions.The aim of this paper is to identify the trends in the industrial structure and the consumption of resources and energy in Japanese regions using Interregional input-output tables for the period 1975-1990. The relationships between the industrial structure and the efficiency of resources and energy consumption in Japanese regions are examined by calculating various coefficients and analytical methods on regional economic linkage; the induction coefficients for resources and energy supply sectors; the resources and energy induction coefficients; the interregional input-output analysis.The analysis of induction coefficients for resources and energy supply sectors for eight Japanese regions has revealed the efficient use of oil and coal materials had been achieved during 1975-1990. However, the other sectors, such as the mining, the electricity and the gas and water supply had not made much progress.The reduction of resources and energy induction coefficients in terms of input structure factors (i.e. technological improvements) and the structure of final demand had been proceeded throughout the study period. However, the efficiency deteriorated in a few regions and industrial sectors under the economic growth during the bubble economy period.The feedback effects for resources and energy supply sectors using interregional input-output model had been weakened in tertiary sector, whereas strengthened in the manufacturing industries in the eastern part of Japan. The regional disparities in terms of feedback effects for resources and energy supply sectors had been reduced in both manufacturing and tertiary sectors.