Chapter 11
Economy-Wide Material Flow Analysis
and Its Projection: DMI Versus TMR
in Japan
Shoki Kosai and Eiji Yamasue
Abstract Economy-wide material flow analysis (EW-MFA) is of importance to
monitor the material input and to understand the current national material situation.
Among various indicators developed for EW-MFA, this study focuses on the direct
material input (DMI) and the total material requirement (TMR). DMI is a wellestablished and simple attribute, which have been widely utilized in the globally
well-known institute and national government. On the contrary, TMR is the most
encompassing indicator, which involves the evaluation of hidden flows arising from
non-economic activities as well as direct and indirect inputs arising from economic
activities. Although numerous studies monitored the chronological transition of EWDMI and EW-TMR, the mechanism and composition depends on each of unique
national characteristics. In addition, domestic recycled resources have yet to be fully
evaluated in EW-TMR. Furthermore, a top-down approach has been widely employed
to obtain the value of TMR for each of categories, whereas calculating the TMR
of each product in a bottom-up approach has scarcely been adopted because of
its complexity and difficulty. As such, this study calculates the specific TMR of
high level of disaggregation of material categories in the bottom-up approach and
chronologically analyzes the material input in Japan on both DMI and TMR basis in
1990–2013. Then, considering the relationship between economic development and
material utilization, EW-DMI and EW-TMR in 2020 and 2030 are projected by using
the historical trend of material input in the course of economic growth. It is found that
from 1990 to 2013 in Japan, DMI has constantly decreased by 25.0%, while TMR has
increased by 18.4%. The reduction of fine aggregate, gravel, domestic limestone, and
stone in the domestic resources primarily contributed to the decrease in DMI, whereas
steam coal, iron ore, liquefied natural gas, and coking coal in the imported resources
primarily contributed to the increase in TMR. In addition, the overall specific TMR in
Japan has continuously increased by 57% from 4.0 Mton-TMR/Mton in 1990 to 6.3
Mton-TMR/Mton in 2013. Then, it is forecasted to constantly increase and, in 2030,
S. Kosai (B)
Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
e-mail: kosai0203@gmail.com
S. Kosai · E. Yamasue
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering,
Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_11
161
Economy-Wide Material Flow Analysis
and Its Projection: DMI Versus TMR
in Japan
Shoki Kosai and Eiji Yamasue
Abstract Economy-wide material flow analysis (EW-MFA) is of importance to
monitor the material input and to understand the current national material situation.
Among various indicators developed for EW-MFA, this study focuses on the direct
material input (DMI) and the total material requirement (TMR). DMI is a wellestablished and simple attribute, which have been widely utilized in the globally
well-known institute and national government. On the contrary, TMR is the most
encompassing indicator, which involves the evaluation of hidden flows arising from
non-economic activities as well as direct and indirect inputs arising from economic
activities. Although numerous studies monitored the chronological transition of EWDMI and EW-TMR, the mechanism and composition depends on each of unique
national characteristics. In addition, domestic recycled resources have yet to be fully
evaluated in EW-TMR. Furthermore, a top-down approach has been widely employed
to obtain the value of TMR for each of categories, whereas calculating the TMR
of each product in a bottom-up approach has scarcely been adopted because of
its complexity and difficulty. As such, this study calculates the specific TMR of
high level of disaggregation of material categories in the bottom-up approach and
chronologically analyzes the material input in Japan on both DMI and TMR basis in
1990–2013. Then, considering the relationship between economic development and
material utilization, EW-DMI and EW-TMR in 2020 and 2030 are projected by using
the historical trend of material input in the course of economic growth. It is found that
from 1990 to 2013 in Japan, DMI has constantly decreased by 25.0%, while TMR has
increased by 18.4%. The reduction of fine aggregate, gravel, domestic limestone, and
stone in the domestic resources primarily contributed to the decrease in DMI, whereas
steam coal, iron ore, liquefied natural gas, and coking coal in the imported resources
primarily contributed to the increase in TMR. In addition, the overall specific TMR in
Japan has continuously increased by 57% from 4.0 Mton-TMR/Mton in 1990 to 6.3
Mton-TMR/Mton in 2013. Then, it is forecasted to constantly increase and, in 2030,
S. Kosai (B)
Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
e-mail: kosai0203@gmail.com
S. Kosai · E. Yamasue
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering,
Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_11
161