Transport Energy Efficiency in Domestic Long-Distance Travel in Japan

Abstract

A sound understanding of transport energy efficiency is of paramount importance. It has been widely accepted that a higher level of urban density is associated with a more significant amount of energy consumption in long-distance travel, including international trips. Meanwhile, its negative correlation with domestic long-distance travel was reported in only a few studies. In addition, the analysis of domestic long-distance travel and its transport energy efficiency has yet to be thoroughly conducted. Therefore, this study first assesses the transport energy efficiency of various transportation modes (roadways, railways, aviation, and waterways) in the form of energy intensity, and then obtains the overall transport energy intensity (OTEI) in the domestic long-distance travel in Japan by considering the social modal choice. Finally, its association with distance, income per capita, and population density in Japan is evaluated, and the results are compared with the case in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. It was found that higher income per capita is associated with lower energy intensity for domestic long-distance travel in Japan. The relationship in Japan between OETI for domestic long-distance travel and traveled distance is observed as a U-shaped form.