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Amidst the largest recession after the war, the domestic cargo transport
in fiscal 1974 showed a decline in terms of tonnage as well as ton-kilometers
in an extent rarely seen in recent years. The decreasing tonnage subsequent
to the previous year retarded to less than the level of 1970, and the ton- kilometers
fell short of the level of 1972
(Table 1-3-1).
The National Railways recorded a decrease of 10.2 percent by tonnage or
10.1 percent by ton-kilometers against the previous year. The cereals maintained
an approximately equal level to that in the previous year, but the decline of
the other primary products was remarkable, while the decline of the secondary
products such as metals, machinery and chemical products was also noticeable,
resulting in such large decline. The container transport also noted a decrease
of 7.4 percent by tonnage against the previous year.
The truck transport decreased by 10.9 percent in tonnage or 7.2 percent
in ton-kilometers against the previous year. Classifying the decrease by business
and private use, the decline of the transport by trucks of private use is noticeable
in tonnage as well as ton-kilometers. The truck transport on the business basis
had the iron and steel increased, but the transport by private trucks had the
gravel, sand, stone and timber decreased.
The coastal shipping decreased by 12.8 percent in tonnage or 7.7 percent
in ton-kilometers against the previous year. By items of transport, reduction
was noted in the iron and steel, coal, cement, limestone and oil products.
The air transport that had continued to grow at a high rate every year noted
a decrease in tonnage as well as ton-kilometers. Classifying the transport by
lines, the trunk lines noted a 11.5 percent decrease against the previous year,
while the local lines marked an increase of 1.8 percent.
From the foregoing result of the trend of transport, no appreciable change
was observed in the share of transport ton-kilometers by transport means (fig.
1-3-2).
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