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Tokyo Gas Group & CSR
The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused massive damage across all regions of eastern Japan. Many precious lives were lost and many more people are still being forced to live under harsh conditions. I would like to express my heartfelt condolences and sympathies to everyone who suffered from this disaster.
The impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing efforts towards reconstruction impress upon us once again the importance of the Tokyo Gas Group’s social mission and our grave social responsibility to supply energy to the Tokyo metropolitan area. Given the growing expectations for natural gas, which offers the benefits of being stable in supply, convenient and environmentally friendly, by promoting ourselves as an "integrated energy business, with natural gas at its core," we seek to meet the expectations of society to the maximum extent possible concerning our role in the community.
Furthermore, due to the earthquake the Tokyo Gas Group was forced to shut off gas supplies to approximately 30,000 households, mainly in the vicinity of Hitachi in Ibaraki Prefecture. However, thanks to restoration operations that involved the collective efforts of All Tokyo Gas (in this report "All Tokyo Gas" is a collective term for Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., group companies and business partners), including affiliates and related companies, we were able to reinstate gas supplies to these customers quickly, ahead of our initial schedule. In addition, there was no secondary damage and production and supply facilities suffered minimal damage. This outcome is due largely to the various tangible and intangible countermeasures that we have implemented to date, including efforts to strengthen the earthquake resistance of facilities and the implementation of earthquake-related training. Moving forward, we will investigate and implement measures needed to ensure an even higher standard of safety.
Our efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake—Ensuring "energy security"
The nuclear power station accident caused by the earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent power shortages have boosted society’s demands for "energy security," whereby energy can be supplied safely and in a stable manner. To date Japan has followed a basic energy policy that has centered on nuclear power in combination with petroleum, coal, natural gas and renewable energies as a means of constructing a low-carbon society. However, as the importance of a stable energy supply is attracting more and more attention, we believe that the role of natural gas will become greater than ever before.
In response, the Tokyo Gas Group is strengthening its measures from both short-term and mid to long-term perspectives. As part of our short-term response to the power shortages in the Tokyo metropolitan area, on the basis of requests received from the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), we have strengthened our own supply base, including raising the output of our own power stations and ensuring stable supplies of natural gas to thermal power plants. In addition, we have also implemented a response from the demand side, utilizing enhanced energy-saving measures. With regard to mid to long-term measures as a means of spreading and expanding the use of natural gas, in addition to upgrading core infrastructure such as LNG terminals and pipelines, we are also promoting the advanced use of natural gas by pushing the introduction of high-efficiency equipment and expanded use of cogeneration systems. In this way we will continue to contribute to a stable energy supply for the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Increasing the use of "dispersed energy systems" and seeking the "best mix"
It is expected that Japan's mid to long-term energy policy will be subject to revision, focusing on the starting point of "energy security." In terms of energy supply to individual customers and communities, in addition to the conventional large-scale centralized supply systems, by aiming to achieve the "best energy mix" through the expanded use of "dispersed energy systems" that utilize diverse energy sources, including natural gas and renewable energies, we can expect to achieve improvements in effective utilization of energy as well as energy security. The Tokyo Gas Group will engage in active measures to further expand the use of "dispersed energy systems" and also work to create "smart energy networks," which boost energy usage efficiency still more, by sharing the power and heat created by "dispersed energy systems" among multiple buildings or within an entire community.
Developing an "integrated energy business" and realizing CSR
Through our efforts to develop as an "integrated energy business, with natural gas at its core," we will work to realize the dual challenges of the "stable and safe supply of energy" and a "rigorous, customer-driven approach to highlighting the benefits of natural gas," thus contributing to the creation of a sustainable society. At the same time, we will work to steadily maintain and promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) oriented management, aiming for our Group to ensure CSR through its business activities.From everyone at Tokyo Gas, we sincerely hope you will continue to honor us with your unwavering support into the future.
