Replication Data for: To Drill or Not to Drill: Determinants of Geothermal Energy Project Siting in Japan

Geothermal energy is an important resource in the fight against climate change, but local siting issues often stand in the way. We present a systematic statistical analysis of the socioeconomic determinants of the location of geothermal drilling explorations in Japan. We find that (1) municipalities with more hot springs inns (“onsen ryokan”) than other municipalities are less likely to have a geothermal exploration, and (2) municipalities become more likely to have a geothermal exploration as their farming sector employment declines over time. We complement the statistical analysis with a qualitative case study of the politics of geothermal drilling in one Japanese hot springs town, showing how personal relationships on the local level can widen or narrow the structural “green versus green” divide between onsen and geothermal interests. Citation: Hymans, Jacques E. C. and Fumiya Uchikoshi. forthcoming. “To Drill or Not to Drill: Determinants of Geothermal Energy Project Siting in Japan” Environmental Politics.