2.3 Energy Consumption in China, Japan, and South Korea
China, Japan, and South Korea are big energy consumers (Fig. 2.11). After the 1973
oil crisis, primary energy consumption in Japan developed at a slower rate than
before. Primary energy consumption also decreased during the 1979 oil crisis, the
Asian Financial Crisis, the financial crisis of 2007–2008, and particularly after the
Tohoku earthquake. With increases in population and economic reform beginning in
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
China
Japan
South Korea
Gross domestic expenditure on R & D as
a percentage of GDP (%)
2005
2010
2016
Fig. 2.10 Gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) as a percentage of
gross domestic product (GDP) in China, Japan, and South Korea. Source: UN (2019a, b)
0.00
100.00
200.00
300.00
400.00
500.00
600.00
0.00
500.00
1000.00
1500.00
2000.00
2500.00
3000.00
3500.00
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1975
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
Primary energy consumption (Mtoe)
China (left scale)
Japan (right scale)
South Korea (right scale)
Fig. 2.11 Primary energy consumption in 1965–2018 in China, Japan, and South Korea. Source:
BP Statistics (2019)
44
X. Qian et al.