Review of Japan Energy & Economy

Energy supplies in Japan Japan has become the world’s leading industrial country. Industry needs a lot of energy. What has made Japan’s industrial achievements remarkable?

Why have Japan’s industrial achievements been seen as remarkable? Industry needs a lot of energy yet Japan has very limited energy resource of its own. When Japan industrialised after 1945 it was reliant on coal and later oil & gas. Most of these were used up by As a result Japan had to import these fossil fuels. To reduce this dependence what did Japan do?

Nuclear Energy To reduce this dependence on imported fuels, Japan has increasingly turned to nuclear power. By 2010 Japan hopes to obtain 45% of its energy from this source. What are the pros and cons of nuclear energy?

The nuclear energy debate FOR Only limited raw materials needed 50 tonnes fo Uranium per year compared to 540 tonnes of coal per hour. Oil & gas could be exhausted by Coal is dirty and difficult to obtain. Numerous safeguards make the risk minimal. Nuclear waste is limited and can be stored underground. It is believed to contribute less to the greehouse effect & acid rain.

The Nuclear Energy Debate AGAINST *It is not clear how safe it is. One accident will kill many and ruin an area for 100s of years. Potential health risks – high leukaemia found around some power stations. The waste can remain radioactive for many years. There are problems reprocessing and storing the waste. The cost of decommissioning old power stations is high. We should concentrate on using renewable forms of energy.

Relief 63% of Japan’s population live on 3% of the land. Thus there is a shortage of living space due to the lack of flat land. Steep mountain slopes make it difficult for Japanese cities to expand further. People live at very high densities in Japanese cities. The success of the economy also means there is a high demand for land form new businesses and people wanting homes. These two factors mean the price of land is very high. Have you a solution?

Solution – Land reclamation New land has been created in Osaka Bay by using material excavated from a mountain to create offshore islands. This has made it possible to expand the port facilities in the bay, build the new Kansai International Airport and create new towns on Port Island & Rokko Island.

Typhoons Earthquakes Tsunamis Tropical climate ANY SOLUTIONS?

Solutions Earthquake drills in schools, offices & hospitals. Issue leaflets and information about the disasters and what to do in the event of one. Develop new designs and materials to withstand tremors. Buildings which are not too rigid and can sway with the earthquake are more successful than brick buildings. Develop better warning equipment.

Hi-Tech Industry Electronic equipment – computers, mobiles, cars, military eqipment, satellites. Consumer electronics – TVs, Electronic games. Electronic components – wires, cabels, microelectronics. Biotechnology – Dolly the Sheep.

Common features Innovation Large amounts of scientific research. Rapid tech change. Highly qualified and skilled workforce. High value, sophisticated products.

Interesting facts Although most of the world’s largest car and electronic multinationals are Japanese, the vast majority of local firms are still family units, many of which make components for their MN neighbours. Labour shortages in the 1960s led to the introduction of labour saving machines and robots.

Problems faced Lack of resources – import cheap raw matertials for LEDCS. High energy bill (oil) – nuclear power. Lack of land/high density – reclaim land from the sea. Natural Hazards – investment in warning systems, earthquake proof buildings etc. Economy in ruins after the war – Protection of domestic industries ( tariffs), helped family firms and Japanese MNCs. Also links encouraged. Lack of labour – robots & machines introduced.