Japan has to rely on imports for most of its domestic demand for fuel resources. In such a situation, the country's energy consumption is increasing at a high level with the development of the national economy in recent years -- which had led to expansion in production, distribution and consumption -- and with changing people's lifestyles. However, there is the constant possibility of a global crisis in energy supply and demand.
On the other hand, global warming, which is mainly caused by energy use and resulting generation of carbon dioxide, is posing a grave problem that may have ill effects on the very basis of our survival.
With this in mind, these Fundamental Policies prescribe the matters needed for the comprehensive promotion of rational use of energy at factories or workshops (hereinafter referred simply to as "factories") and buildings and for machines, etc.
In carrying out these matters, we should pay attention to the fact that energy consumption is affected by the development of the national economy and by the efforts to promote the rational use of energy.
Industrial structures, corporate behaviors, traffic systems and changes in people's lifestyles and other social factors also have an impact on energy consumption.
The target of these Policies is to generally reduce Japan's energy consumption in 2000 and 2010 to the levels of the long-term outlook for energy supply and demand which was considered in the formulation process of the supply target of petroleum alternative energy (Ordinance No.470 of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry of 1990).
I. Fundamental matters concerning the measures to be taken by energy users, etc. for the rational use of energy
| 1. | Measures to be taken by those who use energy at factories for business purposes
| (1) | Those who use energy at factories for business purposes shall make efforts to reduce the basic unit of energy consumption by taking the following measures:
| 1) | In installing energy-consuming units, to choose those units which have a high energy consumption efficiency and allow an efficient use; |
| 2) | To make efforts to renew and improve existing lmits and to introduce additional units for among others controlling energy use of such existing units in order to increase energy consumption efficiency and to use such units efficiently; |
| 3) | To establish management standards regarding the operation, maintenance, inspection, etc. of energy-consuming units and to manage such units according to such management standards; |
| 4) | To make proper and full use of energy managers and to take other measures in order to improve the energy management system at factories in general; |
| 5) | To examine the method of effectively using the surplus energy hard to use at factories and to make efforts to realize such effective use if possible; |
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| (2) | Those who are engaged in energy supply business shall carry out the matters prescribed in (1) above in order to increase energy conversion efficiency. They shall also make efforts to operate energy supply facilities efficiently and to minimize energy loss during transport in such a way as to attain the best energy consumption efficiency of such facilities as a whole according to changing demand; |
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| 2. | Measures to be taken by the builders of buildings
Those who build buildings shall in order to prevent heat loss through the outer walls, windows, etc. of such buildings and to ensure an efficient energy use for air-conditioning units, etc. installed in such buildings, adopt proper designing and construction work and install such air-conditioning units, etc. as have a high energy consumption efficiency and allow an efficient use. |
| 3. | Measures to be taken by the owners, etc. of buildings
| (1) | The owners of buildings shall make efforts to carry out the following matters taking account of the conditions, investment effects, etc. of such buildings:
| 1) | To make efforts to renew and improve existing energy-consuming units and to introduce additional units for, among others, controlling energy use of such existing units in order to increase energy consumption efficiency and to use such units efficiently; |
| 2) | To do a proper management for keeping the function of buildings in order to prevent heat loss through the outer walls, windows, etc. of such buildings and to ensure an efficient energy use for air-conditioning units, etc, installed in such buildings and to examine repairing and other necessary measures to keep o} improve such functions; |
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| (2) | The owners of buildings or those who are in charge of the management of energy-consuming units in such buildings under a contract with such owners shall make efforts to manage such units properly by establishing management standards regarding the operation, maintenance, inspection, etc. of such units and to improve the energy management system for such buildings, including a system for cooperation with tenants. |
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| 4. | Measures to be taken by the manufacturers of construction materials
Those who are engaged in the manufacture of the construction materials used to prevent heat loss through the outer walls, windows, etc. of buildings shall make efforts to bring into wide use construction materials having a high insulation through the development and manufacture of construction materials having a high insulation, labeling of insulation-related quality, improvement of easiness in construction work, etc.. |
| 5. | Measures to be taken by the manufacturers, etc. of machines and apparatuses
| (1) | Those who are engaged in the manufacture of energy-consuming machines and apparatuses shall make efforts to do their business activities laying stress on improvement in the energy consumption efficiency of the machines and apparatuses they manufacture at the respective stages of development, designing, prototype fhanufacture and mass production and to develop and introduce such techhology as allows the efficient hse bf such machines and apparatuses according to the situations of users. |
| (2) | Those who are engaged in the manufacture, import or sale of energy-consuming machines and apparatuses shall provide information helpful to the proper selection by consumers and take other necessary measures in order to increase the ratio of such products as have a better' energy consumption efficiency and allow a more efficient use. |
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| 6. | Measures to be taken by the users of machines and apparatuses
Those who use automobiles, air-conditioning appliances, water heaters, lighting appliances, office appliances or other energy-consuming machines and apparatuses shall select those products having a high energy consumption efficiency and allowing efficient use as much as possible and shall make efforts to use such machines and apparatuses efficiently by keeping the functions of such machines and apparatuses through proper management, by preventing unnecessary energy consumption or by taking other measures. |
| 7. | Development and diffusion of technology helpful to rational use of energy
Those who use energy at factories for business purposes, who are engaged in the designing or construction of buildings, who are engaged in the manufacture of machines and apparatuses and other entrepreneurs shall make efforts to develop and bring into wide use such technology as help improve the method of usirig,and help increase the energy consumption efficiency of energy-consuming units, etc., such technology as help prevent heat loss through the outer walls, windows, etc. of buildings and help realize the efficient use of energy for air-conditioning units, etc. installed in buildings, and such other technology as is helpful to the rational use of energy. |
| 8. | Introduction and diffusion of energy supply-demand systems helpful to the efficient use of energy in areas
In order to promote the rational use of energy in Japan, it has an important meaning to realize an efficient energy use of energy users in respective areas as a whole through effective use of waste heat, use of unused energy, etc. In light of this, those who are engaged in energy supply business shall make efforts to introduce and bring into wide use the optimum energy supply-demand system, taking account of the situation of energy supply sources, structure of energy supply-demand, etc. in such areas. Those who use energy shall cooperate in the introduction and diffusion of such energy supply-demand system as much as possible. |
II. Fundalnental matters concerning policies for promoting rational use of energy
| 1. | Measures to be taken by the central and local governments themselves as energy users, etc.
The central and local governments shall, in a case where they are themselves energy users, are engaged in energy supply business or become the builders, designers or owners of buildings, take the initiative in taking the measures prescribed in "I. Fundamental matters concerning the measures to be taken by energy users, etc. for the rational use of energy" (heremafter referred to as the "specific matters") and make efforts to contribute to the rational use of energy. |
| 2. | Support to capital investment, etc.
The government shall, in order to support the measures to install the units helpful to the rational use of energy and other measures helpful to the rational use of energy taken according to the specific matters, make efforts to take financial and other necessary measures and shall supply sufficient information relating to such measures. |
| 3. | Support to energy management
The government shall, in order to support the measures to Improve energy management systems and use machines and apparatuses efficiently and other measures taken according to the specific matters, make efforts to develop and secure the engineers engaged in the rational use of energy and to diffuse technical knowledge relating to the rational use of energy. |
| 4. | Support to technical development
The government shall, in order to support the development of technology helpful to the rational use of energy done according to the specific matters, make efforts to take financial and other necessary measures and shall supply sufficient information relating to such measures. |
| 5. | Support to the introduction and diffusion of optimum energy supply-demand systems in areas
The government and the New Energy and Industrial Development Organization (hereinafter referred to as the "Organization") shall, in order to support the introduction and diffusion of such energy supply-demand systems as contribute to an efficient energy use of energy users in respective areas as a whole through effective use of waste heat, use of unused energy, etc., make efforts to take financial and other necessary measures and shall supply sufficient information relating to such measures. |
| 6. | Promotion of research and development, etc.
In order to promote the rational use of energy, it has an important meaning to foster science and technology helpful to the rational use of energy. In light of this, the government and the Organization shall make efforts to promote research and development and to bring the results of such research and development into wide use. |
| 7. | Education, public relations, etc. to people
In order to effectively advance the rational use of energy, it is essential to have all people understand and take part in the activities for it. In light of this, the government shall make efforts to increase people's understanding of the rational use of energy through educational activities, public relations activities, etc. |
III. Date of implementation
These Fundamental Policies shall be implemented as from 1 August 1993.
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