A gasoline stand in Yamagata city displays a sign announcing shorter business hours and a limit on the volume of gasoline purchases. (Kohei Watanabe)

EDITORIAL: Government should focus on public restraint in petroleum use

（社説）石油不足の懸念　需要抑制に舵切るとき

With few signs that tensions in the Middle East will be eased, moves are being seen domestically to deal with a possible shortage of petroleum and related products such as plastics.

The government should change its emphasis to restraining demand within reasonable bounds while there are still sufficient reserves to prepare for a drawn-out crisis.

The concerns of the public will not be erased if Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi only repeatedly says that the necessary volume for the entire nation has been secured.

There is first of all a need to gradually reduce the subsidy applied to restrain gasoline prices.

The subsidy began in an attempt to keep regular gasoline prices at around 170 yen ($1.10) per liter as an emergency measure to alleviate a drastic surge in price.

But individuals with high incomes and companies turning a profit also benefited from the measure.

With some estimates of a prolonged supply shortage, the program is problematic because it could conversely encourage consumption.

Gasoline prices in late March would have been about 50 yen higher without the subsidy.

To support prices, the government secured about 1 trillion yen on the initial forecast that about 300 billion yen a month would be needed.

But that fund could also quickly dry up if petroleum prices increase further.

If the subsidy program is to continue, the amount should be reduced and the price goal of 170 yen should be withdrawn. In its place, the government should consider a separate measure to support those who really need it.

We call on the government to decide before the series of national holidays from late April when more people might use their cars for leisure purposes.

Not only is there no indication of when the Strait of Hormuz will return to an opened state, but there are also no signs of when petroleum-related facilities in the Middle East destroyed by the fighting will return to normal operations.

The International Energy Agency has called on nations to take energy conservation measures because the situation represented the largest cutoff of supplies and many nations have responded.

The price of naphtha, the raw material for plastics obtained from crude oil, continues to surge. There are concerns among medical institutions that a shortage of supplies could affect the lives of patients.

Products made from petroleum-derived materials are used in various parts of daily life and corporate activities, from egg cartons to adhesives.

While Takaichi has said she is not now prepared to ask for conservation measures that might apply the brakes to economic activity, we do not feel reassured.

Now is the time for a careful explanation of her understanding of the current situation and a call for cooperation to conserve energy and be more frugal.

Specific consideration should be made as soon as possible by involving representatives from the business and medical sectors along with experts to determine which areas should be prioritized for receiving limited resources.

These efforts should also ensure that excessive self-restraint requests and measures with limited effectiveness are not made.

The oil crisis of the 1970s stimulated improved gasoline mileage among Japanese cars. International competitiveness was heightened because society as a whole thought about the efficient use of energy and energy conservation measures.

The current consideration should lead to mid/long term measures for a carbon-neutral future.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 8

緊迫する中東情勢に好転の兆しはなく、国内でも石油やプラスチックなど関連製品の不足を見込んだ動きが広がる。長期化を見据え、石油の備蓄が十分あるうちに、無理のない範囲での需要の抑制策に舵（かじ）を切るべきだ。「日本全体として必要となる量は確保されている」と首相が繰り返すだけでは、国民の不安は払拭（ふっしょく）されない。
　まず、ガソリン価格を抑えるための補助金は、段階的に縮小していく必要がある。
　価格急騰時の緊急的な「激変緩和措置」として、レギュラーガソリンの価格を１リットルあたり１７０円程度に抑えるために始まった。だが、恩恵は高所得者や好業績の企業にも及ぶ。供給不足が長引くと見込まれるなか、むしろ消費を喚起しかねず、問題が多い。
　補助金がなければ、３月下旬は５０円ほど高い価格をつけていた。価格を支えるため、政府は当初の見込みで月３千億円程度の予算が必要とし、１兆円あまりの巨費を確保した。原油価格がさらに上がれば、それも早く底をつく。
　続けるのなら補助額を縮小して１７０円程度という目安は撤廃し、支援を必要とする層には別の手当てを検討するのが妥当だ。車の行楽利用が増える大型連休前の判断を求めたい。
　事実上封鎖されたホルムズ海峡はいつ元に戻るのか。戦闘で破壊された中東の石油関連施設の復旧も、見通せていない。国際エネルギー機関（ＩＥＡ）は「史上最大の供給途絶」が起きているとして、各国にエネルギーの節約を呼びかけた。多くの国が対策に動く。
　プラスチック製品の原料となるナフサ（粗製ガソリン）は、高騰が続く。医療現場では資材不足で患者の命に関わる事態が危惧されている。石油由来の製品は、卵のパックや接着剤など、暮らしや企業活動のあらゆるところで使われている。
　首相は「経済活動にブレーキをかけるような形で、今すぐ節約して下さいと申し上げる用意はない」と言うが、心もとない。現状認識を丁寧に説明し、節約や省エネなどの協力を求めるときだ。限られた資源を優先的に回す必要があるところはどこか。効果が薄い対策や過度な自粛要請にならないよう、経済界や医療業界、専門家を交えた具体的な検討が急がれる。
　１９７０年代の石油危機は、日本車の燃費向上を促すなど、社会全体でエネルギーの効率利用や省エネを考え、国際競争力を高めた。今回の検討も、中長期的な脱炭素の取り組みへとつなげたい。

(2026年4月8日)