Double energy vulnerability in Japan

This paper presents initial insights into the intersection of domestic energy poverty and transport poverty in Japan, emphasising the vulnerable populations and geographic areas where these dual challenges are most pronounced. We use microdata derived from a governmental household budget survey to calculate the cost burdens arising from expenditure on domestic energy, and public and private transportation. The findings suggest that risk of experiencing high domestic energy burdens is strongly differentiated by income and age, being more prevalent in low-income households and where the lead householder is over 65. Transport cost burdens display a weaker association with demographic variables, and instead are strongly geographical with high-cost burdens most prevalent in rural and peri-urban areas. Low-income and older people who are also living in a spatially peripheral locality are at greatest risk of double-energy vulnerability. Japan's climatic diversity poses an additional challenge, with households in the northern regions of the country facing increased vulnerability due to colder winters and higher heating costs. We propose several policy recommendations arising from these findings, emphasising the need for nuanced strategies that are tailored to geographical context.