AS AMERICA’S DRIVE FOR NATURAL EARTH ENERGY WITH EMERGING EXPLORATION IN REALIZING NEW CRUDE OIL EXPLORATION DRIVING THE WORLD OIL PRICE LOWER–EVERY COUNTRY IS EXPERIENCING GDP GROWTH AS PEOPLE HAVE GREATER CHOICE WITH DISPOSAL INCOME TO SPEND– AS JAPAN’S GDP GROWTH MAYBE ATTRIBUTED TO THE LOWER PRICE OF ENERGY AS EVERY SECTOR BECOMES AFFECTED WITH THE CHEAP PRICE OF GASOLINE

The GDP figures are raising hopes that the economy is bouncing back. Another bright spot is the low price of crude oil. NHK WORLD's Daisuke Azuma finds that while some industries are suffering from the impact of cheaper oil, most companies and consumers are enjoying its benefits.

Cars carrying skiers converge on a resort in western Japan. Its parking lot has been filling up every weekend. People here haven't seen crowds like this in years. "We were able to make this trip because of cheaper gasoline prices," one visitor says. Another says the savings will allow for more trips: "last year we could come here five times. But this year we may be able to come about ten times."

The restaurant at the resort is also seeing a boom in business. Low gasoline prices have given people more spending money. "I'm spending more money here this year than I did last year," a diner says before ordering a second beer.

The number of visitors this winter has already increased by 15% compared to last season. The manager says he wouldn't be surprised by a 25% increase overall. That would bring visitor numbers to the highest level in a decade.

"I think cheap crude oil prices have given visitors more choices in what they can spend their money on," says resort manager Yoshiyuki Kanayama. "Business is getting better for those of us in the tourism and service industries."

People in the transportation industry are also welcoming the drop in fuel prices. One of them is Hiroaki Matsuoka, who runs a trucking company that employs about 900 drivers and other staff. Soaring crude-oil prices during the past few years had forced him to take drastic measures to cut costs. The company started using lightweight auto parts and tires with a longer lifespan.

Executives started keeping a closer eye on their drivers' performance. All of them use a card to record fuel costs, travel times and distances. Managers analyze the data so they can raise the efficiency of their operations. "We took every possible measure to cut fuel costs," Matsuoka says. "But business was still difficult."

Their efforts finally paid off when crude-oil prices began dropping in the middle of last year. The company's fuel costs have dropped by about 20% over the past six months... and the business is back to making a profit.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/onbusiness/20150216.html