Stichting Laka

Publicatie Laka-bibliotheek:
Electricity Review Japan 1999 (1999)

Auteur	Fed. of Electric Power Co. Japan
Datum	oktober 1999
Classificatie	4.21.0.00/13 (JAPAN - ALGEMEEN)
Voorkant

History of Japan's Electricity Industry

Electricity was first used in Japan on March 25, 1878 at the Institute of Technology 
in Toranomon, Tokyo when an arc lamp was switched on in commemoration of the 
opening of the Central Telegraph Office. Eight years later, in 1886, Tokyo Electric 
Lighting commenced operations as the nation's first electric company, and began 
supplying electricity to the public in the following year.
Electricity was at first used primarily for lighting and gradually found more broadly-
based applications as a power source. By 1896, the number of electricity companies 
established throughout the nation reached a total of 33, and the number of electric 
lights with a power supply increased to 120,000.
The early 20th century marked the establishment of long-distance transmission 
technology and growing generation capacity. As generation costs fell, electric 
lights became popular throughout the country and electricity became indispensable 
as a power source for industry.
In the years that followed, the electricity industry grew in tandem with the 
modernization and development of Japan's industry. At the same time, the industry 
experienced a major restructuring that led to the dissolution of 700 electric power 
companies which merged to create five major electric power suppliers after the 
First World War. During the Second World War, electric power was completely 
monopolized by the state-owned company Nihon Hassoden K.K. and nine distribution 
companies.
By the end of the war in 1945, Japan's generating facilities were devastated from 
overuse and bombing damage suffered during the conflict. Despite the devastation, 
the industry was able to rapidly recover. After the outbreak of the Korean War in 
1950, the industry experienced a boom resulting from a rapid increase in war-related 
orders. Growing concerns over the development of reliable power sources, however, 
led to extensive debates on the restructuring of the electric power industry. The 
resulting establishment of nine regional power companies (Hokkaido, Tohoku, 
Tokyo, Chubu, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu) in 1951 remains 
to this day. With the restoration of Okinawa to Japanese sovereignty in 1972, the 
Okinawa Electric Power Company joined the electric power industry as the tenth 
regional company.
In May, 1999 the Electric Utility Industry Law was modified to allow for partial 
Liberalization of electricity retail. March 2000 will mark the beginning of a new 
electricity supply system designed to meet Japan's needs.

Deze publicatie is alleen op papier bij Laka beschikbaar, niet als pdf.
Publicaties zijn te leen of informeer of we een kopie kunnen maken. Soms, als we tijd hebben, lukt dat tegen kostprijs van de kopieën.