An Analysis of Major Countries' Energy Security Policies and Conditions- Quantitative Assessment of Energy Security Policies -

摘要

In this research, we divided the concept of energy security into seven elements -- (1) the primary energy self-sufficiency rate, (2) the degree of diversification of energy import source countries, (3) the degree of diversification of energy sources, (4) the degree of transportation risk management, (5) the degree of domestic risk management, (6) the degree of demand conservation and (7) the degree of supply interruption risk management. Using these elements, we attempted to analyze chronological energy security policy changes and energy situations between the 1970s and 2000s in seven major countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, South Korea and Japan) and to quantitatively assess policy conditions. Among the countries investigated in this research, Japan has had a persistently low energy self-sufficiency rate and has used the conservation of energy consumption and the dispersion of overseas energy resources securement risks (the diversification of energy sources) to make up for this weak point. Its energy security policy has supported the Japanese economy featuring the world's second largest gross domestic product despite the lowest energy self-sufficiency rate among the major countries, and can be appreciated as successful so far. It will be important for Japan to secure domestic or quasi-domestic energy sources in order to maintain and improve its energy security. This means that Japan should steadily expand nuclear energy use and develop and diffuse renewable energies while striving to acquire stakes in overseas energy resources. Next, Japan will have to continue efforts to diversify energy sources and energy import source countries, enhance diplomacy and strengthen Japanese companies' competitiveness for exploration of new overseas resources in order to secure overseas energy sources and manage transportation risks. From the viewpoint of domestic risk management, the government is required to provide appropriate guidance and support for the private sector's continuous capital investment under a competitive environment. Furthermore, Japan should transfer energy-saving technologies to developing countries for their conservation of energy demand in a bid to maintain and expand its potential for the acquisition of energy resources and stabilize energy prices, as far as energy conservation is harmonized with global warming measures and Japanese technologies for these measures are selected and diffused.