Abstract
In the Japanese economy facing environmental restrictions, both the control of greenhouse gas emissions and the boost of regional economic growth are important policy issues. In this context, this study employs econometric methods to investigate whether population agglomeration, which is a potential source of economic growth, contributes to the reduction of energy consumption in the residential sector. The results of the analysis highlight that population agglomeration affects savings in energy consumption. Specifically, over the considered observation period, population agglomeration has saved energy consumption in large metropolitan areas. In contrast, in rural areas, population dispersion has had the opposite effect.
Highlights
The changes in Japanese social structure towards adopting a lifestyle based on convenience and comfort parallels the growth in the number of households among the residential consumers in Japan
This study focuses on energy consumption (EC) in the residential sector
The economic factors of price and income do not greatly affect energy consumption compared to the socioeconomic factor of agglomeration. These results suggest that promoting the formation of urban areas with high population agglomeration might contribute to saving energy consumption
Summary
The changes in Japanese social structure towards adopting a lifestyle based on convenience and comfort parallels the growth in the number of households among the residential consumers in Japan. The energy consumption in the residential sector in Japan in 2011 fiscal year, influenced by the energy intensity (i.e., energy consumption per capita), increased more than twice its value to 208.9 as compared to 100 in the 1973 fiscal year. Looking at this trend, it emerges that the energy efficiency of consumer electronic devices improved significantly, and the rate of increase in consumption itself slowed down.
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