Consumers' willingness to pay for alternative fuel vehicles: comparative analysis between US and Japan

Abstract This paper conducts conjoint analysis using a mixed logit model to estimate consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) on the basis of an online survey carried out in the US and Japan in 2012. We also carry out a comparative analysis across four US states. We find that on average the US consumers are more sensitive about fuel cost reduction and fuel station availability, whereas Japanese consumers are more sensitive about driving range and emissions reduction. As for the comparative analysis across the four US states, we find that WTP for fuel cost reduction varies significantly, and is the greatest in California. We use the estimates obtained in the conjoint analysis to consider EV/PHEV diffusion rates under several scenarios. In a base case scenario with relatively realistic attribute levels, conventional gasoline vehicles still dominate both in the US and Japan. However, in an innovation scenario with significant 1 Keywords: willingness to pay; conjoint analysis; discrete choice model; electric vehicles (EV); plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) JEL Classifications: D12, O33, Q42, R40 purchase price reduction, we observe a high penetration of alternative fuel vehicles both in the US and Japan. We illustrate the potential use of conjoint analysis for forward-looking policy analysis, with the future opportunity to compare its predictions against actual revealed choices. In this case, increased purchase price subsidies are likely to have a significant impact on the diffusion rates of alternative fuel vehicles.

Blood Properties and Liver Cell Components in Process of Rat Hepatic Cirrhosis Produced by Low Protein Diets. (B. LIVING SCIENCE)

We conducted to estimate hematological and metabolic changes in the productive process of hepatic cirrhosis. Male Charles-River Crj-CD rats were fed 5% gluten diet, 5% casein diet, 5% wheat-pattern amino acid mixture diet and 20% casein diet as control ad libitum for 29 weeks. After autopsy, hematological and biochemical determinations were performed. Body weight gains of rats on experimental low protein diets were significantly lower than that of the control, showing 82g for LC-group, 12g for W-group and -6g for G-group as compared with 420g of the control group at the 20th experimental week. At the 29th experimental week, rats in W-and G-groups showed significant decreases in RBC counts, hemoglobin contents, hematocrits and serum protein. On the same week, RNA, DNA contents and RNA/DNA ratios in rat liver tissues of W-group and G-group did not differ from those of the control group. For LC-group, however, collagen contents in the liver had a tendency to slightly increase. These biochemical evidences were co-ordinate to histological findings

Measles vaccine coverage and factors related to uncompleted vaccination among 18-month-old and 36-month-old children in Kyoto, Japan

BACKGROUND: Due to low vaccine coverage, Japan has not only experienced outbreaks of measles but has also been exporting it overseas. This study aims to survey measles vaccine coverage and the factors uncompleted vaccination among community-living children. METHODS: Subjects were the parents whose children had undergone either an 18-month or a 36-month checkup publicly provided by Kyoto City during November 2001 to January 2002. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted. RESULTS: The coverage was 73.2% among the 18-month-old children (n = 2707) and 88.9% among the 36-month-old children (n = 2340), respectively. The following characteristics of mothers were related to uncompleted measles vaccination: aged below 30, working, concerned about the adverse events of the vaccine, and had insufficient knowledge. Similarly, the following characteristics among children were related to uncompleted measles vaccination: not the first-born child, interacting with other children in group settings. The coverage was the lowest among the children whose mothers were concerned about the adverse events of the vaccine without proper knowledge of measles and its vaccination. CONCLUSION: To increase vaccine coverage among children, parents' awareness about measles and vaccination against it should be promoted, especially for working mothers. Efforts to enhance access to vaccination services and to communicate with parents about changing vaccination schedules are necessary

都市部の妊娠期・出産後の女性の喫煙と食生活および生活習慣との関連

都市部に在住する乳児の母親を対象として,妊娠前後の喫煙の現状と食・生活習慣との関連を明らかにすることを目的に,無記名自記式アンケート調査を実施した。対象は,平成14年11月の1ヶ月間に,京都市内14ヶ所の保健所・支所にて,生後4ヶ月児健診を受診した991名の乳児の母親である。喫煙や食・生活習慣に関する調査紙を手渡し,回答が得られた466名(回収率47.0%)を解析対象とした。その結果,妊娠前喫煙率は28.5%で,年齢が若いほど喫煙率が高かった。妊娠を契機に74.4%が禁煙し,妊娠中喫煙率は7.3%であったが,出産後喫煙率は10.9%に増加していた。喫煙者は非喫煙者と比較して,食・生活習慣,授乳,喫煙に関する知識の欠如などの健康課題を有しており,小児期からの喫煙防止教育等,総合的な保健対策が望まれる

スウェーデンの中山間地域における「老後も住み続けることができる地域づくり」に関する研究 : 地域住民の手による協同組合の活動を通して

We studied on the community developments by the residents in the underpopulated areas of Sweden. We clarified that the residents managed cooperatives to make elderly people stay in their communities despite they had difficulties to live in their own houses. And we also clarified that the cooperatives provided both of the dwelling houses for elderly people and home help services and these works collaborated very well. (Accepted Septemper 9, 2003

ショウガク 1ネンセイ ニオケル ヨウチエン シュッシンシャ ト ホイクショ シュッシンシャ ノ エイヨウ セッシュ ジョウキョウ ノ ヒカク

京都市内の一小学校の1年生120名を対象者に, 6月の休日および平日各1日に摂取した全食品の摂食量の記録を保護者に依頼し, 回答のあった男子41名, 女子47名, 計88名(73.3%)の栄養素および食品群別摂取量を出身別に比較検討した。その結果, 幼稚園出身者が保育所出身者より有意に高値を示したのは, 男子の果実類摂取量, 女子の脂質摂取量, 脂肪エネルギー比率であった。その他の項目では出身別に有意な差は認めなかった。全体において, 推定平均必要量以下の者の割合は, カルシウムは男子56.1%, 女子55.3%, 鉄は男子29.3%, 女子27.7%, ビタミンCは男子34.1%, 女子31.9%, 脂肪エネルギー比率が30%以上の割合は男子61.0%, 女子63.8%, 食塩6g以上の割合は男子78.0%, 女子68.1%と高かった。これより, 小学1年生において出身別の差は少ないこと, カルシウム, 鉄の不足者割合が高く, 脂質及び食塩の摂取量が目標量を超える者の割合が多い可能性が示唆された