Vulnerability to Energy Poverty under the Japanese Social Welfare System

: An Analysis of Lived Experiences in Sapporo City

Abstract

Under the Japanese social welfare system, the schemes addressing deprivations of energy use among citizens are institutionalised in the form that tackles energy issues among impoverished people. This scenario suggests that the welfare system’s current malfunction might affect the effectiveness of energy-related schemes. This issue is problematised through the lens of energy poverty. Specifically, this study delves into the “lived experience” of households vulnerable to energy challenges, relationally delineating the state of energy deprivation within the Japanese welfare system. The analysis argues that the current state of deprivation is often downplayed because of the interplay of several factors, including “limited institutional recognition”, “unclear energy needs”, and “the tendency of energy-vulnerable households to trivialise their situation”. Hence, institutionalising the energy poverty concept within the Japanese welfare scheme can problematise the downplayed deprivation, paving the way for diverse approaches beyond solely relying on income-based solutions.