TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st November, 2022) The Japanese authorities have decided to impose a policy of energy economy from December 1, 2022 to late March, 2023 over concerns of power shortages this winter, a measure introduced first time in seven years, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Tuesday.
The government is set to instruct Japanese companies and nationals to save electricity by reducing the temperature of air conditioners and turning off lights when a room is not used, Nishimura said.
"We have also decided to restart the mothballed power plants and purchase additional volumes of fuel," the minister added.
The authorities will also introduce bonuses for the households that would manage to reduce monthly energy consumption by at least 3% compared to the last year level.
Last week, the Kyodo news agency reported that Japan would cut household electricity bills by about 20% early next year under a new economic package designed to mitigate inflation's negative impact on citizens' lives.
The prices in Japan have been rising for 13 months in a row. The increase is mainly caused by surging prices for energy resources, which Japan is forced to import in great amounts, and the low exchange rate of the Japanese Yen against the US Dollar.
