Base Technology Subjects
Socio-economic Research Center
Brief Overview
The task of the Socio-economic Research Center (SERC) is to contribute a better development of theelectric power industries and the planning of energy and environmental policies. To this goal, the SERC evaluates and creates options and solutions to various issues of electric power industry and energy in general, such as
climate change, regional economic development, and energy technology issues.

Achievements by Research Theme
Energy Utility Policy【Objectives】
We explore issues and solutions on future electric power industry by examining changes of economic
environment and social structure, which inﬂuences management of electric power industry, business environment, and trend of electricity demand.
【Principal Results】
・Based on the projections for the Japanese Economy, simulation analysis for policies until 2030, such as the risingconsumption tax, inﬂuence on our economy, ﬁnances, and industries is done by using the macroeconomicﬁscal linked econometric model and input-output model Results clariﬁes that economic growth is important forreconstruction of public ﬁnance, and manufacturing sectors such as electronic and communication equipment
etc. will become an engine for economic growth [Y09018].
・We surveyed issues concerning the revenue decoupling in the United States, which is a increasingly introduced
electricity and gas tariff scheme. This scheme “decouples” the link between the sales and revenues of utilities,
aiming to eliminate their disincentives for energy efﬁciency. We showed that, should it be adopted in Japan, it
also eliminates electric utilitiesʼ incentive to compete, reducing the merit to consumers. [Y09005].
・Customer attitudes and willingness to pay for low carbon power such as nuclear power and renewable energy
are clariﬁed through a customer questionnaire survey in order to propose for future low carbon measure andthe way of its cost burden [Y09008].
Regional Policy【Objectives】
Through quantitative and qualitative tools and methodologies, we aim to clarify how and to what magnitude those policy formation related to environmental issues, such as global warming and creation of low carbon
society, inﬂuence on development of regional societal and economic systems, and vice versa. Also, we will
examine how electric power companies can and should communicate with the public about risk issues in which
their business is involved.
【Principal Results】
・To evaluate the impact of environmental policies on the regional economies, the energy consumption structure
at the prefectural level and the sector level has been compatibly incorporated into the 47 prefecture multiregional input-output system. A simple examination on the complied database veriﬁes its effectiveness foranalyzing the inﬂuence of spatial trade structure on the domestic energy usage and carbon emissions (Fig.1)[Y09024].
・In order to help develop effective ways to communicate with local communities on the uncertainty in health80

Socio-economic Research Centerrisk, we conducted a web survey on lay-people's knowledge and judgment regarding experts' risk assessments
and their uncertainties. As the result, we found that the public, despite their limited knowledge about risk
assessment methodologies, well recognizes and are able to distinguish between the statements experts use indescribing degrees of uncertainty [Y09004].
Energy Technology Policy【Objectives】
Toward realization of low carbon society and ensuring energy security, we develop and advance themethods for analyzing increased complication of social movement, policy planning, and operation process inboth domestic and overseas. As well as we establish foundation for corresponding promptly to the research needs
which are caused by the changes of energy demand structure in the future.
【Principal Results】
・Reconﬁgured the concepts and interrelationship of Japanese nuclear "3S" (Safety, Security, Safeguards) initiative and presented issues, which nuclear power industry in Japan should overcome for international expansion,and solutions in the future.
・Under the latest circumstances, we presented the re-estimated result of life cycle CO2 emissions by power plant
type, based on the progress in power generation technology, improved plant design, and the data of CO2 emission units of each material which is acquired in 2009 [Y09027].
Human Factors Research【Objectives】
To reduce human errors reactively and proactively, we develop measures for improving faculty of analyzing human error events, individual hazard perception, team work skills and also develop measures to build a safersociety.
【Principal Results】
・We deﬁned several viewpoints to evaluate analysis faculty of human error events and also systematicallyorganized the syllabus for human error analysis training.
・We developed a method to identify actual causes and conditions of safety rule deviations by analyzing events
caused by the unsafe acts of workers [Y09017].
・We developed a measurement scale of individual hazard perception, based on the content, severity and latencyof hazards [Y09011].
351,600

301,400

25

1,200
1,000

20800

15600

10400

520000
Hokkaido
Aomori
Iwate
Miyagi
Akita
Yamagata
Fukushima
IbarakiTochigi
Gunma
Saitama
Chiba
Tokyo
Kanagawa
NiigataToyamaIshikawa
Fukui
Yamanashi
NaganoGifu
Shizuoka
Aichi
MieShiga
Kyoto
Osaka
Hyogo
Nara
Wakayama
Tottori
Shimane
Okayama
Hiroshima
Yamaguchi
Tokushima
KagawaEhime
Kochi
Fukuoka
Saga
Nagasaki
Kumamoto
Oita
MiyazakiKagoshima
Okinawa

Final energy consumption (PJ)

1,800

Final energy consumption
per output (GJ/MY)

PJ

coal, crude oil, natural gas

Fig.1

fuelelectricity

town gasother energies

final energy consumption per output

Prefectural Final Energy Consumption (on Classiﬁcation of Energy Basis)
図１ 都道府県別の最終エネルギー消費量と産出額当たり消費量
Tokyo81