[sushiman]

Sometimes ...But bus/train transportation is superb so I can be in the a big city like Kumamoto or Fukuoka within 2 hours . I pay $ 40 a year for the bus to and from Fukuoka and can use it as many times as I wish in 1 year . Great deal . BTW - my water ( pure ) bill per month is $ 15 .

[ArtDodger]

I lived in Japan for years and much of their home-use energy is gas. Stove top cooking, heating the bath water and heating the houses/apartments in cold weather. Also, relatively few people use electric clothes dryers, prefering to hang things in the sun.
Their electric usage is minimal in the home but their subways and trains are electric.. and the businesses sure like the gaudy lights.