It’s just too hot.
I feel like I’m going to melt.
If you melt… you’ll become zunda juice!?
This is no time for jokes.
I can’t help but want to joke! Seriously!
Putting up with this heat without turning on the air conditioner!
I can’t help it!
If I turn on the AC, the electricity bill will cut into my food budget!
If that happens, I’ll be down to one edamame a day!
One edamame a day will kill you! …I mean!
You live in the Voivo Dorm, so we all just split the cost!
You say that, but who do you think covers most of the costs for a dorm this big?
Huh?
…Well, today’s topic is air conditioners…
Ye-yes, let’s get started!
Tsumugi turned on the air conditioner, nervously wondering if Zundamon was perhaps paying for most of the dorm’s expenses.
Now, looking at the world, the air conditioner penetration rate in Japan is said to be 90%.
Conversely, it’s only 90%!?
It’s *as high as* 90%!
By the way, the only other country with a 90% penetration rate is the United States.
Huh, so what about other countries?
Close to Japan, countries like China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore have a 90% penetration rate in urban areas.
But for China as a whole, it’s apparently around 60%.
Well, China also has cold regions.
Although the cities are hot enough to melt sandals to the asphalt.
The problem starts here.
First, Africa is at 5%, and India is only around 10%.
What…?
And then there’s Europe.
Europe must have a high penetration rate~
Nope, not at all.
It depends on the country, but it’s only about 10 to 30%.
What…?
I’m sure you’re surprised. But there are three reasons for this.
Three reasons?
The first is latitude. Europe is generally at a higher latitude than Japan.
So it didn’t used to get as hot as Japan.
But haven’t you heard about heatstroke in Europe in recent years?
That’s because it’s gotten hotter.
It’s called global warming.
Ah, so it backfires when it gets hot.
But if it gets that hot, why not just install air conditioners?
That brings me to the second point. Many houses in Europe are old.
Old houses?
Many houses in Europe are made of stone or brick, dating from the Middle Ages to the early modern period.
And unlike in Japan, used houses are more valuable than new ones, and there’s a strong culture of passing them down.
They also value the scenery, and renovations are often not easily approved.
Ah, it would be difficult to install an air conditioner there. Both in terms of scenery and the structure of the house.
Moreover, air conditioners are apparently a symbol of American-style luxury, so they’re even less likely to be installed for scenic reasons.
Air conditioners… well, they’re expensive, but a symbol of luxury?
Next is the high level of environmental awareness.
Don’t you have a strong impression that Europe is strict about the environment?
I do have that impression.
Like when Japan revived its thermal power plants, they made a caricature of former Prime Minister Abe with a gas turbine attached.
And promoting diesel engines and BEVs with emission regulations.
I wish they would understand the background, like Japan phasing out nuclear power and reviving thermal power.
And yet Germany is quietly phasing out nuclear power.
They cheated on the diesel engines.
And it’s been revealed that BEVs produce more CO2 and harmful substances than internal combustion engines.
They only switched to BEVs because they can’t make decent internal combustion engines like Japan.
Japanese car manufacturers like Toyota and Honda are strong, after all.
And what’s more, after pushing out Japanese and Korean cars,
they’re being dominated by Chinese-made BEVs, mainly from BYD.
It’s still Asia in the end, lol.
We’ve gotten off topic, but
Europe says air conditioners are bad for the environment.
I heard the athletes’ village at the Paris Olympics didn’t have air conditioning either.
Isn’t no air conditioning at the Summer Olympics bullying athletes from developing countries?
Developed countries brought in tons of portable air conditioners that don’t require installation.
Europe is apparently also critical of Japan’s high air conditioner penetration rate.
But the heat in Japan is so humid…
I question whether Europeans, who can’t stand the dry heat, could endure Japan, which is like a sauna.
Speaking of which,
I have an acquaintance who is a ninja skilled in snow techniques.
If I call her, will this dorm cool down?
On the contrary, won’t we freeze to death!?