Won't Miss #507 - setsuden

Yes, it's a special setsuden cloth. Note the fish whose tail isn't plugged in and his light is off. He's doing his duty!

When I left Tokyo in March of last year, I believed that setsuden, or (strong) energy conservation efforts would end by the summer of 2012. This movement, which came on the heels of the controversy over the use of nuclear power after the Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster, caused such a backlash against the use of nuclear power that all of the reactors were shut down at one point. It appears that setsuden, which means sweltering summers both indoors and out and chilly winters, is there to stay for awhile. While the cold never bothered me in Tokyo, the summer heat and humidity is insanely oppressive. With thermostats set around 28 degrees C./82 degrees F (or higher)., there was frequently little difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures. While gritting my teeth and sweating through the heat was annoying, it was especially galling in the face of businesses that left their large doors gaping open and allowing pressure air conditioning to escape.

It often seemed to me that there was a ridiculous variation between what individuals and businesses did in this regard with old folks doing their duty and suffering (and dying) of heat stroke while businesses only addressed the bottom line. I won't miss setsuden both for the discomfort it brought on and the hypocrisy it revealed.

Won't Miss #457 - air conditioner energy wastage

A Roppongi Hills restaurant the summer of 2011, with the doors wide open to the outside and air conditioners blasting.

The summer after the Great Tohoku Earthquake, the number of people who were carted off to the hospital for heat stroke tripled. This was because the damage to the Fukushima power plant created an energy shortage and everyone was encouraged to reduce energy consumption by using their air conditioners at 28 degrees C. (82 degrees F.). Many Japanese people responded by not using their AC at home all in a spirit of solidarity. However, while average consumers were succumbing to the effects of the heat, businesses were doing what they have always done: leaving their doors wide open and allowing the cool air to blast out into the great outdoors. This act of energy wastage is done to make the business appear more inviting to consumers and despite Kyoto accords and pledges to reduce carbon footprints and the very real need to reduce energy after the earthquake, it hasn't changed.

I won't miss seeing doors of heavily air conditioned buildings wide open and bleeding cool air into the open in an act of stupid and pointless energy wasting.