Heat and Hardship: Energy Price Increases and Heatstroke Risks in Japan During the Global Energy Crisis

Given the global rise in surface temperatures due to climate change, it is important to understand the interactions governing economic and behavioral responses to household heat adaptation. This study investigated the relationship between energy prices and heatstroke risks in Japan. The analysis revealed that the increase in energy prices during the 2021 global energy crisis was associated with an unexpected decrease in home heatstroke emergency room visits. This result is consistent with the Peltzman effect and moral hazard problem, as reduced economic access to air conditioning may have increased risk perception, heightening heatstroke prevention measures. The ambiguity of this result sheds light on the adaptive resilience of households to weather and energy price shocks.