Measuring Energy Poverty Via Energy Service Usage : The Japanese Case

The purpose of this paper is to present a new approach to evaluating energy or fuel poverty via direct measurement of energy service usage. This measure is a kind of relative poverty measure in calorific value, and is constructed in a multidimensional setting. The paper applies the measure to examine the regional characteristics of energy poverty in Japan. The result suggests the important role of kerosene (heating oil) in securing warmth in winter, especially in the northern regions, and points to an “energy poverty premium” in Japan on the unit cost of energy (per amount of heat). The paper suggests that the ongoing energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables should be promoted carefully with due consideration to the impact on the energy poor