The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of subsidies on the cost structure of Japanese water supply organizations by estimating the translog cost function. Geographical conditions, such as network density and water sources, are also controlled in this model. The empirical results...

The merging of some water utilities in Japan has become possible since the 2000 Outline of Administrative Reform and the 2001 Water Act Revision. There are two avenues to merge water utilities, horizontal consolidation and vertical integration. Horizontal consolidation enables water...

Although water supply systems include activities such as water intake; water purification; and water distribution, many water supply organizations are not always equipped with all three activities. In fact, Japan has two types of water companies: one that operates water intake and water...

Due to the steady increase in the use of private autos in Japan, the bus business is facing hard times. In particular, bus services owned by public organizations have been struggling with increases in operating deficits and subsidies, so that recently in many cities there has been a call for...

A water supply system composed of water production facilities and transmission facilities obtains water from various sources such as surface water, groundwater and so on. Although there are many empirical studies such as measuring efficiency, productivity and/or returns to scale for water supply...