 
 
- 1 - Revisions  of the cabinet  order, the ministerial ordinance,  and the Notification of the Ministry 
of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and 
Tourism (MLIT) under  the Act on the Rational Use of Energy   
 
October  2019  
Energy Efficiency  Division  
Agency of Natural Resources and Energy  
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry  
 
Environmental Policy Division  
Road Transport Bureau  
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism  
 
1. Background  
Under the Act on the R ational Use of Energy  (Law No. 49 of 1979; hereinafter referred to as 
the "Energy Efficiency Law" ), the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry  (METI  Minister ) 
and the Minister of Land , Infrastructure , Transport  and Tourism  (MLIT  Minister ) shall decide  
the standards  for manufacturers  and importer s (hereinafter referred to as “ manufacturer, etc. ”) in 
regard to improve ment  of the energy efficiency performance with respect to vehicles  included in 
the energy consumption equipment  classification  which is specifi ed in the cabinet order under 
the Energy Efficiency Law  (hereinafter referred to as "energy efficiency standards") . 
Moreover, the METI  Minister  and MLIT  Minister  shall decide requirements for indication of the 
information regarding energy consumption effic iency  (fuel efficiency ) in manufacturer catalog .  
Additionally, the e nergy efficiency standards shall be established by  taking into 
consideration the highest level of energy consumption performance  of the respective specifi ed 
energy consumption equipment  and other related factors  (as it is called the "Top Runner 
Program") . 
The METI  Minister  and MLIT  Minister  propos e new energy efficiency standards  for 
passenger vehicles  in order to promote rationalization of energy use pertaining to passenger 
vehicles  in Ja pan and disseminate  information on energy efficient passenger vehicles  in order to 
cope with the recent increase of energy consumption in the transport sector, climate change,  and 
so forth.  
 
2. Outline of amendment  
In addition to vehicles already subject to the current standards, electric vehicles and plug- in 
hybrid vehicles, which are expected to  become widespread  to a considerable extent in years to 
come, are also made subject to the new standards.  
New energy  efficiency standards to be achieved  by FY20 30 are established fo r passenger 
vehicles . 
i) Scope  of the standards  
Vehicles fueled by gasoline, diesel, or LPG and vehicles with engines powered by 
externally charged electricity which are passenger vehicles whose types are designated  
and- 
  a) Have a carr ying capacity of up to 9 passengers ; or 
 b) Have  a carrying capacity of 10 or more passengers and a gross vehicle weight up to 
3.5t. 
 
ii) Target fiscal year   
 
- 2 - FY20 30. 
 
iii) Energy  consumption efficiency  
The energy consumption efficiency is calculated as show n in the following table using 
values calculated by the MLIT  Minister . 
 
 
Table 1 Energy consumption efficiency  
 Energy  
consumption 
efficiency1 Values calculated by the MLIT Minister  
Gasoline - 
fueled vehicles  FEG FEG: Energy consumption rate when driving i n WLTC  mode, calculated by 
the MLIT Minister upon type approval  (km/L)  
Diesel vehicles  FED 
1.1 FED: Energy consumption rate when driving in WLTC  mode, calculated by 
the MLIT Minister upon type approval  (km/L)  
LPG -fueled 
vehicles  FELPG 
0.74 FELPG: Energ y consumption rate when driving in WLTC  mode, calculated 
by the MLIT Minister upon type approval  (km/L)  
Electric 
vehicles  6750  
EC AC electricity consumption rate (EC): AC electricity consumption  rate 
when driving in WLTC  mode, calculated by the MLIT Mini ster upon type 
approval  (Wh/km) 
Plug-in hybrid 
vehicles  FePHEV2 Hybrid fuel consumption rate (FeCS): Running distance in kilometers per 1 
liter of fuel  when driving in WLTC  mode without using externally charged 
electricity, calculated by the MLIT Minister  upon type approval  (km/L)  
Plug-in fuel consumption rate ( FeCD): Running distance in kilometers per 1 
liter of fuel when driving in WLTC  mode while using externally charged 
electricity, calculated by the MLIT Minister upon type approval  (km/L)  
Plug-in range  (RCD): The maximu m running distance in kilometers that a 
vehicle can drive in WLTC  mode while using externally charged electricity, 
calculated by the MLIT Minister upon type approval  (km) (hereinafter 
referred to as the "plug -in range")  
Electricity consumption per charge ( E1): The amount of externally charged 
electricity required for driving the plug- in range, calculated by the MLIT 
Minister upon type  approval  (kWh /charge)  
 
iv) Fuel efficiency standard values  
Fuel efficiency standard values ( FE: km/L ) are as follows depend ing on  the respective 
vehicle weight ( M: kg) 
M: Less than 2,759 kg 
FE =  -2.47 × 10-6 × M2 - 8.52 ×  10-4 × M +  30.65 
M: 2,759kg or more  
FE =  9.5 
* FE values are rounded off to one decimal place  
 
v) Method of judging achievement  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
1 Values obtained by dividing the energy consumption efficiency based on a Well-to-Wheel  evaluation by the energy 
efficiency until production of gasoline  
2 FePHEV ＝ 1 / (UF(R CD) × (1 / FeCD + 1 / (6.75  × RCD / E1)) + (1 - UF(R CD)) / FeCS) 
FeCS and FeCD for vehicles using diesel  as fuel are values divided by 1.1, respectively. Fe CS and FeCD for vehicles using 
LPG  as fuel are values divided by 0.74, respectively.  
UF: Rate of plug -in driving (factor) calculated in accordance with the plug -in range  
UF(R CD) ＝ 1 - exp(29.1  × (RCD / 400)6 - 98.9 × (RCD / 400)5 + 134 × (RCD / 400)4 - 89.5 × (RCD / 400)3 + 32.5 × (RCD / 
400)2 - 11.8 × (RCD / 400))   
 
- 3 - The standard is judged to have been met w hen the weighted harmonic mean  of the e nergy 
consumption efficiency  of all vehicles subject to the fuel efficiency standards shipped by a 
manufacturer in the target year , which is obtained by divi ding by the number of shipped 
vehicles (the value of the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE)) , is not below the 
weighted harmonic mean of the fuel efficiency standard value , which is obtained by 
dividing by the number of vehicles actually shipped by the m anufacturer in the relevant 
target year (the CAFE standard value).  This judging method is called CAFE regulation, 
which is applied to the current standard.  
 
vi) Labeling matters, etc.  
These revisions  include requirements  that manufacturers should indicate on their catalog  
with regard to energy consumption efficiency  and electric range etc.  
 
3. Proposed date of entry into force  
Around spring  of 2020 (except requirement for indication *). 
* As for requirement of indication, proposed date of entry into force is  around fall  of 2020.  