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In Japan, motorization made an other large progress during the latter half
of 1960s. The number of motor vehicles owned in Japan jumped from 8.12 million
at the end of fiscal 1965 to over 30 million by the end of August 1976. In this
respect, Japan became the second in the world, next only to the U.S.A.
Especially private passenger cars have popularized as the living standards
rose with the increase of income and people began to have more and more free
time. Private passenger cars are beginning to take an important position in
people's life. On the other hand, the disadvantages of motorization, including
traffic accidents and air pollution due to exhaust, became obvious during the
latter half of 1960s. It has become necessary to coordinate the use of motor
vehicles with these problems. It is expected that the absolute number of motor
vehicles owned will continue to increase, although at a lower growth rate, when
the differential in popularization from the West European countries, the prospect
of further popularization in the province and increasing use not as a family
car but as a personal car, are taken into consideration.
Until recent years, trucks had been the major element of growth in the
history of motorization in Japan. The popularization of passenger cars throughout
the nation began around 1960. A rapid progress took place during the latter
half of 1960s. This tendency was especially strong with private passenger cars,
which increased by 8.0 times during these ten years. As a result, in the end
of fiscal 1975 the number of private passenger cars owned was 17.13 million,
accounting for 58.8% of all the motor vehicles owned. (Fig.
2-2-1).
It is estimated that about 88% of private passenger cars are of personal
possession.
At the end of fiscal 1975, the private passenger cars diffused at a rate
of one car for every 6.5 persons or two families. (Table
2-2-2).
It is estimated that nearly 90% of 2.82 million van type private small trucks
owned throughout the country as of the end of June 1975, are light vans. They
are often used as passenger vehicles. The popularization rate of private passenger
cars will be several percents higher if light vans are included. By region,
the popularization rate is high in the central part of the country, namely,
the northern part of Kanto district, Chubu district and Hokuriku district. The
popularization rate became relatively low in most of large cities where the
popularization rate was high by the end of fiscal 1965. Rapid popularization
of the private passenger cars in the province enhanced the mobility there.
On the other hand, the persons having no car or not driving the car are
faced with the necessity of mobility because of extending scope of living area,
and such situation is posing a problem to be resolved urgently. The change in
the regional distribution of popularization rates is accounted by rapid popularization
among agricultural households and working households, the development of road
conditions etc. in the provinces and the worsening of traffic conditions and
the development of public transportation facilities in large cities.
The mobility and the moving range of people in the provinces expanded rapidly by the popularization of private passenger cars. Their life has been quite changed as a result. On the other hand, the merits of owing private passenger cars have become relatively low in large cities due to ovrercrowded situation. A comparison with 1970 in the uses of private passenger cars shows that the share of commuting means increase, while that of business uses etc. decreased. From the standpoint of region, the share of business uses and recreational uses is large in large cities. The share of commuting or welcoming and sending off means is relatively large in the other regions. The operating rate of each car has become lower as the number of cars owned increased. This indicates the trend of using a car personally.
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