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(1) Cooperation with Developing Countries
Economic cooperation in the field of transport ranges from the development
of railways, ports and harbors, and airports to automobiles, shipping, shipbuilding,
seamen, maritime safety, and weather observations. Economic cooperation in this
field plays a significant part in Japan's Official Development Assistance. It
accounts for about 20% of total en loans
(Fig. .6 7).
Japan has extended cooperation to help finance the improvement of transportation
corridors including coal resources in the People's Republic of China, the modernization
of railway operations in Indonesia and the expansion of transportation routes
in Zaire. In regard to technical cooperation, compound projects involving general
and urban traffic systems have increased.
Japan is also cooperating vigorously in the second Panama Canal construction
project. In 1982 an intergovernmental level preparation committee was established
to conduct study implementation of plans for the enforcement of the project.
As a member country, Japan offers cooperation in the project. The Ministry of
Transport, for its part, appropriated expenditures in its fiscal 1983 budget
in order to carry out relevant surveys.
(2) International Cooperation with Industrialized Countries
Japan is now pushing for scientific and technological cooperation on a multi-national
level through international organs concerned, as well as bilateral scientific
and technological cooperation with the U.S., Australia, Canada and Western countries.
(3) Promotion of International Interchange
Reactions of various countries to friction problems between Japan and foreign
countries stem, in many cases, from their lack of adequate understanding toward
Japanese society and culture. In fact, there is no denying that this has served
to intensify international friction. At the same time, Japan's lack fo understanding
or due attention toward foreign society and culture is also partly responsible
for ever-intensifying international friction.
International tourism is one of the effective vehicles for promoting better
mutual understanding among the nations of the world. Japan, for its part, will
make greater PR efforts abroad to attract more tourists to the country. At the
same time, Japan is pushing for steps to beef up the home visit system, improve
guide information network (" i " system) for foreign visitors, introduce travel
phone systems and goodwill guide '' ,, service systems so that guests from abroad
may enjoy really comfortable stay in Japan and better understand Japan.
In February 1983 Japan signed the "United Nation's Convention on the law
of the sea." In anticipation of ratification of the convention and possible
expansion of sea areas which are under its jurisdiction, including 200-nautical
mile areas and continental shelves, the Ministry of Transport is currently pushing
a reexamination of related ordinances and also the work on setting the borderline
for the sea areas under its jurisdiction with the aid of laser rangers and also
by mobilizing the "Takuyo," the most updated survey ship commissioned into service
in the autumn of 1983. At the same time, the ministry is bolstering the ocean
information system covering sea areas which extend 1,200 nautical miles, with
wide-area surveillance and ship position monitoring systems as the core.
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