On a new energy saving lighting technology by United Solar Guide, Inc. in Tokyo, the director, Hiro Okahashi, had this to say:

...As to why the company chose to target California for its sales, Okahashi said that the public, the power companies and local governments there are more eager to promote energy saving than those in Japan, partly because the state experienced an electricity supply crisis that led to widespread blackouts in 2000 and 2001...

...But in Japan, he ruefully remarked, such measures [cash rebates to consumers, government tax breaks] to reward energy savers have not been introduced, and this lack of incentives discourages companies and households from reducing their use of power...

The waste of energy and resources is readily apparent in Tokyo except to visiting journalists who discover such things as architects who have fuel cells powering their apartments and report it as sort of a common thing in Tokyo. Perhaps it will change, but if it does it will be thanks to companies after profits and consumers out to save money. Not to the Kyoto Accords or any imaginary spirit that exists uniquely in Japan.

(The national government and media is more concerned with other, more important things such as: Will the next ineffective, bumbling, slow-footed LDP leader be a right-wing nutjob, or a mere bore.)