Chapter　1 　Realization of More Comfortable Life and Transport in a Society Open to the World


　 　Japan is now faced with the need of rectifying substantial imbalance in its current balance and of opening itself to the world more. Domestically, this country is required to realize a more comfortable life in large cities and to promote a more balanced nation-building aiming at creating a multipolar and decentralized country. In answer to these needs both at home and abroad, the Ministry of Transport will take the following policies and measures in the years to come:

1. 1　Contribution to the international society


　 　The number of Japanese tourists going abroad has been increasing steadily every year. But these Japanese account for only 4% of the total population per year, which is much lower as compared with other advanced countries. (Fig. 1) In consideration of a number of good effects resulting from overseas trips, the Ministry of Transport decided to encourage people to travel abroad more often. It drew up the Program for Doubling Japanese Tourists Going Abroad (Ten Million Program) to double the annual number of Japanese tourists going abroad, which was 5,520,000 in 1986, in the next five years to over 10 million people, thus raising the per population percentage to 10% or so. The Ministry will also endeavor to improve domestic systems for accepting foreign travelers. In particular, it will put effort into the improvement of the areas designated as model zones for international tourism (in addition to the 15 areas designated in March 1986, the Ministry selected 18 areas anew in June 1987 as model zones for international tourism from among recommended 27 areas in 24 prefectures. In October 1987, it again designated two more model zones. See Fig. 2) and the promotion of the international convention city concept. In the area of international air transport, stress will be laid on the entry of new airlines, establishment of new air routes, introduction of more nonstop service to long-distance routes and increase in transport capacity. The Ministry has already taken steps to increase international cooperation ; it incorporated diverse measures in the Action Program for Improved Market Access, adopted in July 1985, especially those regarding the motor vehicle standards and certification system, in which foreign countries showed great interest, and put them into practice without delay. The Ministry also took additional steps, and these efforts have produced good results steadily, as evident from the fact that the number of automobiles imported has shown high growth rates. In the future, the Ministry will deal with international economic problems positively, and will continue activities for economic cooperation, including financial and technical assistance. (Figs 3 and 4)

　

1. 2　Improvement in Quality of People's Life

　 　In large urban districts, there arise a number of problems, such as traffic jams, deterioration in living environment and sharp rises in land price. To deal with these questions, the following policies will be enforced: (1) Betterment of traffic systems, mainly such large-volume traffic facilities as railways and buses (Table 1); (2) Promotion of land supply by utilizing reclaimed land in coastal areas, etc. and dispersion and reduction of land demand to deal with the problem of high land price (Fig. 5); and (3) Promotion of the freight villa plan (See Chapter 6) to ease up demand for replacement of houses. Regarding the land owned by the former JNR, the Ministry will make careful examination before its sale, paying attention to unity with measures for reform of JNR, in light of the fact that policies for coping with high land prices are urgent national themes. In local districts, on the other hand, the Ministry will concentrate on the steps to create more attractive cities, including the following: (1) Expansion in nationwide one-day traffic ranges by improving trunk high-speed traffic facilities and means for access to these facilities; (2) Reinforcement of local transport by high-speed buses and commuter airplanes; and (3) Local promotion through encouragement of tourist resort development and holding of various events. (Figs. 6 and 7)

　 　In addition, to meet increasing demand for leisure time activities and changing consciousness of the nation, efforts will be made to develop tourist resorts and coastal areas, including betterment of sightseeing-related facilities. The exploitation and utilization of the sea, which has a broad variety of possibility, will also be stepped up; the implementation of marine recreation measures will be among these endeavors.


1. 3　Transport in Response to Changing Industrial Structure and Higher User Needs

　 　As the industrial structure undergoes changes and people's life is improved, consumer needs are growing more diverse. As a result, consumer products are getting miniaturized, with greater value-added, while physical distribution tends to experience decline in cargo quantity and transport is growing smaller in lot and more frequent in shipment. (Fig. 8) To cope with these changes in transport structure, new types of transport service, such as "takuhaibin" (door-to-door delivery service of parcels) and trunk-room service, are appearing one after another. Reflecting marketing strategy shifts and more awareness of cost consciousness among industries, the cycle of commodities is growing shorter and the need of minimizing inventories is getting greater. Distribution systems are taking measures to adapt themselves to just-in-time production and-sale. In international intermodal transport, attention is lately paid to the mode of transport characterized by a combination of sea transport with air one, in answer to the two incompatible needs, low cost and speedy transport. From the standpoint of consumer protection, the Ministry will take necessary steps to deal with these developments.

　

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