An energy audit is a popular policy instrument for improving energy efficiency in facilities. However, it is unclear whether they serve to improve energy efficiency, because even under energy audits, several barriers to energy efficiency exist. Additional practices such as information provision,...

The Tokyo emissions trading scheme (ETS) is the first regional ETS in Japan where a national ETS has not been introduced. In this study, we estimate the policy impacts of the Tokyo ETS on energy usage and economic activities in the scheme’s first phase (2010-2014) and the first four years of...

The Japanese Ministry of Environment is promoting green purchasing policies across all levels of Japanese government. A primary reason is that green purchasing policies have the potential to significantly reduce carbon impacts across the globe and can help Japan achieve its carbon emissions...

Whether energy efficiency performance can be improved by environmental regulations is an important issue for governmental policy-making. This study investigates the impact of Tokyo and Saitama regional emissions trading schemes (ETSs) on energy efficiency and outsourcing-induced carbon leakage...