Awareness of the need to conserve energy among residents of the capital increased after Tokyo Electric Power Co. shut down all 17 of its nuclear reactors, sparking fears of an energy crisis this summer, according to a survey released recently by Dentsu Inc.'s Center for Consumer Studies.
According to the survey, eight in 10 respondents said they took measures to conserve energy. Dimming the lights was the most popular method, used by 77.6 percent of people, followed by 59.8 percent who raised the preset temperatures on air-conditioner units and 47.6 percent who cut their air conditioner use.
The government and Tepco stepped up efforts this summer to avert major power shortages in the Kanto region after the utility closed down the reactors in Niigata and Fukushima prefectures in April for checks following revelations in August last year that the largest utility company in Japan had falsified safety reports.