153 localities in Japan may lose gas stations due to dwindling population

Wednesday 19th November, 04:40 AM JST

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some14some at 08:05 AM JST - 19th November

Ruined Rural Areas - Lack of hospitals, public transportation and now gas stations. Blame capitalism? Profits first not public service despite paying high taxes.
MikeT at 10:49 AM JST - 19th November

Some14some, if you are arguing that subsidized gas stations should be a public service? Surely better to invest that subsidy in discounted electric vehicles, local biomass power generation and micro ethanol plants. Then these rural areas could utilize local agricultural waste to generate green power and turn unused rice that the Govt. is already subsidizing and then stockpiling to produce ethanol. Would only require a small portion of the Governments announced Y27trillion yen economic stimulus package, better than subsidizing fossil fuels, and would help Japan meet its commitments under the Kyoto protocol to reduce Co2 output ...
presto345 at 08:20 PM JST - 19th November

The time that there used to be gas stations on all 4 corners of major intersections is long gone. Even now more and more stations are closing down and certainly not only in rural areas. I suspect profit margins on fuel have not risen in proportion to operating costs. MikeT has a point, I think. The country side has a lot of biomass that can be converted into green energy.