On November 29, 2002 the Council
for Transport Policy, an advisory panel to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure
and Transport, proposed the promotion of port town development in its report
titled A Ports and Harbors Policy to Respond to Change in Japan's Economy
and Society and Achieve Better Lives Through Measures to Strengthen International
Competitiveness, Revitalize Industry and Build a Recycling Society.
As part of its report, the Council proposed forming beautiful,
vigorous "port" spaces and promoting "port town development"
with the consensus of local citizens by re-evaluating "port" assets
from the perspective of residents and citizens, and making maximum use of
local industries such as tourism and the marine products industry and "port"
assets such as openness to the sea, in order to progress steadily in the
future towards development with local character.
The bureau summarized the efforts taken for port town development
for 13 regions during Fiscal 2003 and 22 regions during Fiscal 2004, together
with the results and points to note, as the Port Town Guidebook and Port
Town Guidebook 2005, respectively.
Furthermore, for "ports" other than these as well,
the bureau is waiting for the provision of information by citizens, NPO,
businesses, municipalities and port management bodies, with the intention
of actively collecting examples of new, pioneering efforts by citizen groups
to utilize "port" resources, which the bureau plans to disseminate
through a nationwide public relations program. |
