Global Energy Policy and East Asia Research Unit

【Research activities ended on 31 May 2024】

Issues involving energy consumption are both multifaceted and global in nature. In Japan, energy issues assumed added significance after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011 and resulted in a greater need to raise public awareness of such issues. Therefore, energy policies must be made more transparent and communications among concerned parties must be improved.

International focus on energy demand has been shifting to China, India, and the ASEAN nations as the economies of these countries are rapidly expanding. One cannot discuss global energy demand and outlook without considering the supply-demand situation and energy policies in East Asia. However, on examining international energy governance in East Asia, one cannot support the notion that adequate efforts have been taken to ensure transparency of information and national policies, despite the various discussions facilitated through APEC and other arenas.

Global supply-demand dynamics are changing because of a surge in demand from emerging nations and the recent shale revolution; consequently, analyzing East Asia’s energy demand structure and government policies, raising issues, and encouraging debate from a global viewpoint can prove to be worthwhile for both Japan and East Asia as a whole. Another promising effort can include submitting policy proposals to regional governments incorporating the latest energy policies and benchmarking their results. In support of this potential, we have decided to create a unit aimed at formulating policy proposals based on the analyses of current policies and suplydemand situations in East Asia.

The research unit analyzes energy policy mainly in East Asia, including Japan, and ASEAN countries. In light of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, we conduct on long-term desirable energy policy in respective countries, which forms the foundation of modern industrial activities as well as various sectors. Our research examines multiple perspectives of energy, including social economic, and environmental aspects.