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40 Percent of Polled Want Stable Energy Supply, Environment-Friendliness

Posted on: Sunday, 12 March 2006, 15:00 CST

By Maya Kaneko, Kyodo News International, Tokyo

Mar. 11--TOKYO -- About 40 percent of Japanese who responded to a government questionnaire on energy said they believe that ensuring a stable supply and promoting resources that are friendly to the environment should be key points in the state's energy policies, according to a Cabinet Office survey released Saturday.

A total of 39.2 percent said stable energy supply is important, while 40.9 percent said energy sources should not degrade the environment, in terms of global warming and other environmental issues, the poll showed.

The survey, which was conducted in December, covered 3,000 people aged 20 or older, of whom 1,712 or 57.1 percent responded.

The government conducted the opinion poll on energy for the first time since February 1999 against the backdrop of the continued surge in crude oil prices in recent years, officials said.

Asked about what is essential in their life, 48.2 percent said stable energy supply, the third-highest after food supply at 80.0 percent and medical services at 62.9 percent. The respondents were allowed multiple answers.

Altogether, 57.3 percent said rising energy prices have affected their living to some degree, but 29.0 percent said they have not implemented any specific measures to save energy consumption. The ratio of those who opted for the answer was higher among those in their 30s and 40s.

Many of the 40.7 percent who said they see no adverse effects from energy price increases lived in bigger cities, according to the survey.

In view of the increase in crude oil prices, 79.8 percent said they wanted to see expansion in Japan's oil stockpile, with 41.8 percent expressing preference for a rise in state-controlled oil reserves to private-sector ones.

At present, Japan has oil stocks that would meet demand for about 170 days, with state reserves amounting to 90 days and private-sector ones 80 days.

To heighten energy security, 54.7 percent said the government should support Japan's independent oil resource development projects abroad to raise the percentage of oil imports from those projects, which currently amount to about 11 percent of Japan's total imports.

As for new energy sources, 59.1 percent said Japan should promote renewable energy sources such as wind power and solar power that would not increase carbon dioxide emissions. Respondents were allowed multiple answers.

Compared with the previous survey in 1999, those expressing recognition of solar and wind power rose to 85 percent from around 63 percent in a multiple-choice question.

On nuclear power, 55.1 percent expressed support for promoting it, while 17.0 percent said they wanted to see its termination. Those viewing nuclear power generation as safe stood at 24.8 percent, and people feeling unease about it amounted to 65.9 percent, staying at almost the same levels as in the previous survey.

Of respondents worried about nuclear power, the percentage of people citing the possibility of accidents as a source of their concern increased from 69.8 percent in 1999 to 80.2 percent in 2005.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Kyodo News International, Tokyo

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Source: Kyodo News International, Tokyo

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