Japanese turn down heat, lights on fears of power cuts
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TOKYO • Neon signs were turned off, lights dimmed and thermostats dialled down in Japan yesterday after the government issued an urgent call to save energy, warning of blackouts after an earthquake last week caused a serious power shortage.
As snow fell in Tokyo and the temperature dropped to 2 deg C, Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) said demand had spiked and up to three million households risked losing power if usage rates did not come down. However, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said late yesterday the country was likely to avoid blackouts.
The trade minister, Mr Koichi Hagiuda, had warned earlier in the day: "At this rate, we are coming closer to a state where we will have to conduct power outages similar to those that took place after the quake."
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake last week off the north-eastern coast - the same region devastated by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011 - temporarily cut power to about two million households, including hundreds of thousands in Tokyo.
The quake hit six thermal plants, knocking them out of operation in areas served by Tepco and Tohoku Electric Power Co, and the damage could leave some of them idle for weeks or even months, Mr Hagiuda said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno earlier called on residents in eastern Japan impacted by the power crisis to do their part.
Numerous users responded to the call.
National broadcaster NHK dimmed its studio lights, while electronics retailer Bic Camera turned off about half of the television sets at dozens of its stores.
The 634m Tokyo Skytree tower turned off its lights for the whole day for the first time and operators of the city-centre Tokyo Tower lit up only its bottom half.
Retail giant Seven & I Holdings said 8,500 7-Eleven stores set their thermostats to 20 deg C - one degree cooler than usual - while its Ito-Yokado supermarkets were dimming their lights by 10 per cent.
Many individual consumers also did their bit.
"I use the heater a lot so I will try to do my part to save energy," said college student Shuntaro Ishinabe, 22.
REUTERS
