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By the petroleum supply cutback by Arabian countries in October, 1973,
Japan was dealt with a severe blow, because petroleum accounted for 75 per cent
of total supply of primary energy to Japan-which is a much higher figure than
those to other major countries of the world-and 99.7 per cent of petroleum supply
to her was dependent upon imports from overseas. Especially, in the case of
transport sector, its energy consumption accounted for 13 per cent fo the total
enegy consumption of Japan and its dependence upon petroleum was 93 per cent,
which is a much higher figure than those in other sectors. As a result, confusion
in Japanese economy has been further aggravated. (Fig.26)
To cope with this petroleum supply cutback by Arabian countries, the Japanese
Government set up the "General Plan for Petroleum Emergency Measures" in November,
1973, appealed to the people for the self-control of the use of privately owned
cars and carried out closing of gas stations on 'sundays and holidays and administrative
guidance for large users of petroleum products. In December, 1973, the Government
enforced the second Petroleum and Electric Power Consumption Control. When such
control measures of the use of petroleum were taken, special consideration was
given to allow as mild a saving ratio as possible to common carriers such as
railways, buses and trucks, and efforts were made to secure necessary quantities
of petroleum to common carrIers.
Such measures viewed from the kinds of transport operators included the
following: In taxis, the Ministry of Transport carried out proper distribution
of LPG) emergency financing to taxi operators and establishment of temporary
taxi fares, because the complexity of LPG movement routes, etc. caused grave
confusion among privately owned taxis. In trucks, the fuel shortage greatly
obstructed long-haul transport, and in marine transport, Japanese flag vessels
which were unable to get fuel supply at foreign ports were forced to stay idle
at ports of all over the world. To cope with such difficulties, the Ministry
of Transport undertook, in truck transport, such measures as working together
and finding cargoes for trucks to be carried on their return trips so that loading
efficiency can be improved, and enforced, in marine transport) speed-down of
ships and rationalized steamer allocations. Besides, the Ministry carried out
reduction in air flights and restraint of transport connected with leasure such
as tourists' buses and excursion steamers.
The petroleum problem was more or less stabilized as far as the quantity
of petroleum was concerned since April, 1974, but the steep rise of crude oil
prices left serious repercussions. Thus the petroleum problem became one of
the major causes for applying pressure upon the financial condition of transport
industry. (Fig.27)
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