Energy use in Japan and the United States

This comparative study was undertaken to explain in part the per capita differential between the two countries. In the introduction, the ratios of energy per capita and energy per dollar of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are presented. The exchange rates utilized to convert GDP to a common currency are discussed in detail. Brief sections on the energy supply and electric generation situation in Japan are included for background information, followed by the body of the report devoted to the energy consumption sectors. The industrial sector merits most attention because Japan's industrial capacity is second only to that of the U.S. among industrialized nations, and it is here where an intercountry comparison can reveal possibilities of technology transfer. First, a gross energy efficiency indicator for all industry (measured as industrial energy use per dollar of GDP originating in industry) is established. This is followed by detailed presentations of specific energy inputs (per ton of product) for four energy-intensive industries: iron and steel, aluminium, cement, and pulp and paper. Sections on transportation, residential, and commercial energy use reveal large differences in consumption largely due to what is labeled ''standard of living'' (housing size, automobile ownership, selection of transportation modes). Finally, the conclusions underscore the usefulness of intercountry comparisons for industrial processes and delineate the limitations of such studies with respect to personal use of energy. Among the group of industrialized nations, Japan and the U.S. are probably the extreme case in illustrating these limitations.