Hajime Inamura

A Structural Decomposition of Energy Consumption Based on a Hybrid Rectangular Input-Output Framework: Japan's Case

This paper proposes an I-O SDA model, based on a commodity technology assumption, to identify the sources of changes in the energy demand structure, the non-energy input structure, the non-energy product-mix and the non-energy final demand of embodied energy requirements. The model contains two features. First, the hybrid rectangular input-output framework expressed in both monetary and physical terms is introduced to relax the effects of different energy prices among industrial sectors on the input structure in physical terms. Second, the demand structure of the input-output system is decomposed into the structure of energy sectors and other sectors by applying the hierarchy system with feedback loops of non-energy sectors. We identify the sources of the changes in Japans energy use structure between 1985 and 1990. The major findings are that the total energy requirement has increased, mainly because of the changes in the non-energy final demand, while the product-mix changes have opposite effects, that is, energy savings.

A Spatial Structural Decomposition Analysis of Chinese and Japanese Energy Demand: 1985–1990

This paper proposes a spatial structural decomposition analysis to measure the effects of the changes in intra- and inter-country linkages on the embodied energy demand in the concerned country. For the empirical analysis, we have used the China- Japan inter-country input–output tables for 1985 and 1990, expressed in constant prices of 1990. The empirical results reveal that (1) at least for the period between 1985 and 1990, the effects of the non-competitive input structural changes in China on the primary energy requirements of Japan were negligible, and (2) the contribution of the Japanese final demand shifts on the total change in Chinese primary energy demand was 40 times larger than that of the Chinese final demand shifts on the primary energy requirements of Japan. The Japanese policy makers should concentrate on the energy impacts of the changes in the domestic production structure rather than the changes in the Chinese production structure.

A Simple Multi-Regional Input–Output Account for Waste Analysis

The present paper provides a simple multiregional input–output model for waste analysis with which to estimate intraregional and interregional effects of industrial wastes embodied in regional final consumptions. The empirical analyses using 1995 nine-regions input–output tables reveals the regional properties of the interregional linkage effects. The Kanto and Kinki regions remarkably control the industrial waste emissions and waste landfills within their own regions by importing waste-intensive intermediate goods and services from the other regions. The Chugoku and Shikoku regions greatly contributed to the production of the waste-intensive goods and services for the other regions, considering the waste emissions and waste landfills relative to the commodity production levels. We also find that the household consumption behaviour in other regions indirectly plays a more important role in waste emissions than the municipal waste disposal behaviour in the region in question at least in 1995.

DATA COLLECTION METHOD FOR PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT VARIABLES

Buckling of a through girder generally is predicted by the so called U-frame approach which treats the compressed top flanges as compression members restrained elastically by the web stiffness. This study used a line-type finite element analysis to examine buckling behaviour of through girders, both a single span girder and a continuous girder. The elastic buckling loads were plotted for a range of span to height ratio.Recent research findings on pricing strategies both in general and in construction are reviewed and explored. First, pricing strategy in general, mostly in the manufacturing industry, is reviewed. It includes the concepts of pricing strategy, predatory pricing, price wars, and price policy development. Second, pricing strategy in construction is explored. It includes various pricing models for bid price determination, such as the Friedman-Gates models, expected utility models, risk-pricing model, and the crew-day, multiple regression, and fuzzy-set pricing models. In conclusion, pricing strategies in construction are still predominantly based on a cost-based approach. More recent models try to close the gap between the models and the real life conditions of a bidder’s decision-making process. It appears that there are more problems in cost-based pricing as opposed to market-based pricing. Consequently, it is highly recommended that, alternative pricing approach such as that are closer to the proposed market-based pricing model need to be explored and developed for use in the construction industry.

Identification and Elimination of Barriers in the Operations and Management of Maritime Transportation

Transportation-related costs both at ports and for inland transportation are very high, which is essentially caused by the high cost of labor and construction of infrastructure. This condition, however, is also caused by protectionist policies in the domestic transportation field. This chapter discusses and identifies barriers in the operation and management of maritime and multimodal transportation. The effect of the removal of barriers is calculated by applying a Spatial Computable General Equilibrium (SCGE) model that includes behavior of the transportation sector. The results of case studies show that a 10% reduction of import or export costs produces a 1% increase in total trade.

Frame-based tracing of multiple objects

In tracking feature points, aside from the matching problem, tracing many objects that are coming and going out of the scene is still another problem. A frame-based tracing algorithm to mark and follow the matched object is presented. Experimental results showed that the algorithm is able to successfully track multiple objects simultaneously, including entering, exiting, and continuing events. The algorithm was useful when there are many objects that enter and go out of the scene during the video taking.

DEVELOPMENT OF OCEAN CARRIERS' BEHAVIOUR MODEL FOCUSING ON THEIR 'COST AND TARIFF' BASED ON THE SPATIAL GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM

Spatial computable general equilibrium (SCGE) theory has been applied to an international trade model to evaluate tariff and fiscal policies of a country. Those models can not be applied for the evaluation of transport policies such as port development and tax/subsidy policy against transportation sectors, since they do not deal with ocean freight and ocean carriers explicitly in the model. Ocean freight often varies with the changes of competitive conditions and/or demand/ supply balances in the short run, while it should reflect the actual expenditure of the carriers in the long run. The model proposed here considers the profit maximization behaviour of ocean carriers, and deals with ocean freight explicitly. The model is applied to four major economic regions; Japan, USA, EU and Asia. A multi-level function composed of the Cobb-Douglas function is adopted to produce reliable parameters of the production function for many industries.

The Invisible Multipliers of Joint-products

This paper proposes a hybrid input-output model to estimate the intermediate requirements embodied in the final disposal--such as reclamation and incineration - of non-marketable scraps and wastes from industries or households. The model is based on a mixed technology assumption in order to connect the monetary distribution of the ordinary goods and services with the physical distribution of the scraps and wastes as joint-products. Moreover, some demand-pulled invisible multipliers, in terms of the scraps and wastes, have been explored by performing a numerical simulation. From the invisible multipliers, we find the paradoxical phenomenon that the reduction in the amount of final disposal and the promotion of material recycling decreases the intermediate demand of the scraps and wastes for material recycling if there is a time-lag in the introduction of the appropriate recycling technology.

AN ANALYSIS OF WHOLESALERS' ACTIVITY AND THEIR HISTORICAL TREND IN JAPAN

交通量予測のための将来の物流量の把握・予測, また交通問題解決のための物流の合理化が現在大きな課題となっている. 生産から消費に至る物流においてその中心にいるのは卸売業であるにもかかわらず, 従来その卸売物流の実態についてはほとんど解明されていない. そこで本研究では地域間の卸売物流の階層構造, 最近10年間での卸売業の集積の変化と更にその変化の著しい品目についての変化理由をそれぞれ物流の観点で考察した. その結果, 品目別の卸売業の都道府県単位での地域間階層構造, 商物分離, 消費地への立地指向, 食料品における小売業の成長をそれぞれ物流ベースから明らかにできた.